There is an interval between the time that a password-protected screen saver starts and the time that the password protection actually kicks in. During this short period of time, a person can bypass the password by just hitting a key or moving the mouse, and get back to the desktop without having to enter a password. This can be a definite security risk! However, you can edit the registry to reduce or eliminate this delay. Here's how:

1. Click Start, Run, type regedt32, and then click OK.
   
2. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
   HKEY LOCAL MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
   
3. On the Edit menu, click New, and then click DWORD Value.
   
4. Name the new entry ScreenSaverGracePeriod.
   
5. Double-click the ScreenSaverGracePeriod subkey.
   
6. Click Decimal under the Base heading, and then enter a number in the Value data box that represents the password activation delay in seconds. You can enter any whole number between 0 and 2,147,483 (approximately 24 days). A value of zero indicates no password protection delay. There is no default entry.
   
7. Click OK and exit Registry Editor.
   

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