Regarding UAC

Learn about Computer Security General Security Questions and Comments
#1

My question to the people here is “how do you configure MS UAC?”

I’m wondering this, since I use CIS do I need to have UAC running. I realize it’s a personal decision, just wondering what people in here do, and maybe why.

I have gone from XP to Win 7, pretty much full time, and I’m surprised how UAC doesn’t seem to have any memory of what I’ve chosen already. ie, I’m asked every time to run any non ms pgm despite having given permission earlier (using the default UAC setting).

I’m fairly competent with CIS so my own opinion is I don’t need UAC.

Thanks in advance for any opinions.

#2

I have had UAC disabled since I got vista, actually it was disabled with in a few hours. It is really a stupid decision on MS part.

#3

Why do you say UAC is not reliable? You’re confusing things. UAC is not a HIPS like Defense+. Different field actions, though UAC is also a great mean at preventing malware.

#4

If there are multiple users on your system (as there are mine), UAC is great as one line of defense to prevent unauthorized program access (Defense+ cannot stop something that is marked as Safe/Trusted, UAC can, simply mark it as Admin level required).

I keep UAC off on my Admin account, On for all other accounts. I have seen it function and it has been of great service to my local security.
It is reliable.
Vista has issues with its use, yes, but these AFAIK have been addressed in Win7.

#5

We Can Configure Windows To Automatically Elevate The Privilege Level For Administrators Without Prompting

Just Type In secpol.msc Into The Start Menu Search Box And Hit Enter.
Now Browse Down To Local Policies \ Security Options
Find the Following In The List:
“User Account Control: Behavior Of The Elevation Prompt For Administrators In Admin Approval Mode” And Double-Click On It.
Change The Setting To “Elevate Without Prompting”.
Select Ok
Its Done Now

#6

Thanks for the input. Very interesting.

I can see there may be something to learn with this UAC. I think I’ll leave it on till I know how to use it Then I’ll decide what to do with it.

#7

You mis-understand, Tarantela. Not what the program can access, but who can access the program.
I have several utilities on here that if used incorrectly (and my other users are self-proclaimed computer illiterate) can totally corrupt my system. UAC prevents them from being able to run these applications.

#8

Right. Your input steered me to understand something… UAC is not, and isn’t intended to be any kind of substitute for a firewall. It has to do with User Account Controls. I didn’t put that together, despite knowing what UAC’s acronym meant.

I myself have never shared my personal machine so I’ve skated on the “users” subject for years. I’ve stubbornly have always used Admin accounts. I think it’s time for me to ■■■■■ the books and learn the in’s and out’s of user accounts.

Also I have noted the UAC does not come up on “every non-ms pgm” as I said in the original post. Only comes up on some of them, that reason being related to under what rights the pgms were installed with. And that’s an interesting thing too, cause not all pgms ask “for what users” during install.
So there is something to learn here. Again, thanks for the input.

#9

Disabling The UAC is not a very good idea as it has hooks into many different system processes. If you do disable the UAC you cripple application compatibility, you disable IE protected mode and File and Registry Virtualization is only active when the feature is turned on.

Before you make any decisions regarding on or off, do a little searching to find out the consequences.