UAC (User Account Control) discussion thread

If you do switch to LUA, it might be easier to create a new admin account, and demote your existing admin account to LUA, so that you don't have to redo too many settings.

 

Thank you. Yes that is what I did in a few attempts. But since apps can't write or even run without elevation, these are kind of preventing me to go all LUA.

 

You're welcome .

What I do is in post #5.

 

I don't really like that idea honestly, as what I've said in this post.
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/thr...strator-or-standard-user.372010/#post-2443874

 

Very relevant previous discussion: https://www.wilderssecurity.com/threads/users-still-not-willing-to-abandon-windows-xp.344991/page-7

I have said this previously, UAC is not a security barrier, it does not separate processes of different integrity levels.

 

I generally have to deal with this on an app by app basis. It is almost always a data folder or .ini or .dat or or other data files inside of the program's folder in the "Program Files" directory. I have to change the file permission from "read and execute" to "read" and "write". Newer windows applications tend not to put their configuration and data files in the main program folder and I've had less LUA compatibility issues with newer software.

 

Indeed, more modern apps usually put them in AppData Roaming folder. But I had to use these ye olde apps, dated back up to Win2K era.

 

The issue in post #22 was fixed in Windows 10, according to a May 4, 2015 post in thread UAC Bypass.

 

Another UAC issue that Microsoft won't fix: Issue 220: Windows: AppInfo AiCheckSecureApplicationDirectory Bypass.

 

I tried the POC from the last post on Windows 7 x64:
a) in admin account with UAC set to default: got message "We're UIAccess" without UAC prompt, apparently indicating elevation of privilege.
b) in admin account with UAC set to max: got message "We're UIAccess" without UAC prompt, apparently indicating elevation of privilege.
c) in a standard account: got message "We're UIAccess" without UAC prompt, apparently indicating elevation of privilege!

If there really is elevation of privilege in c), then I don't understand why Microsoft won't fix it?!

More info:
User Account Control: Only elevate UIAccess applications that are installed in secure locations
Security Considerations for Assistive Technologies
Breaking the Broker

 

From Passive UAC Elevation:

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