What kind of user account do you normally use?

It strikes me, that security experts, who always recommend a limited account to users, are very quiet in this poll. Maybe they don't like to admit, they also use an administrator account.

 

Almost exclusively as "power user" on Win2k SP4. I am using the administrator account only if it is absolutely necessary (~ once/month or so, for updating windows manually).

 

You missed the part where I said no one can log in from the outside. Malware on your computer is working from the inside already and then it's irrelevant if someone can login to your account from the outside.

 

I have no doubt the 'security experts' *HERE* use admin accounts, since most of their cool HIPS and other toys aren't designed to run on limited accounts yet (though I think this is slowly changing) and the people here are of a special breed who like their toys.

On the other hand if you run with limited accounts, you are already protected from many (but not all) the things people here rely on external security software.

You will find that people who don't rely on anything except their hardware firewall, will tend to use limited accounts.

Since almost everyone here loves their security software, obviously they wouldn't fall into that group.

It's hard for me to answer the poll, because it depends on what computer I'm using. I have one that is fully fitted with the coolest and latest wilders approved toys and that one runs in admin.

On the other hand, on other computers which are not as heavily protected/ burdened, just basic software firewall or antivirus (sometimes not even that), I run almost always with limited accounts.

My Dad also runs using limited accounts without a hitch. He runs as admin only if he has problems installing progams, but thus far he seldom as the need.

But you guys who like to play with your systems, install programs, obviously it wouldn't work.

 

You can use admin account and no realtime aplications and you can be protected.
Security is about settings (Windows, browser, etc), not about dozens of toys used.

 

I think I understand your logic now. Apologies.

As for security experts here... I dont' actually recall anyone advising to run in a limited account. Something like "dropmyrights" maybe... But actually telling us to run in full limited account, no.

As for tweaking systems, options, and etc., I'd be reluctant to agree with that. I mean after all, with activeX turned off, scripts blocked and everything else, that couldn't even prevent the wmf of last winter. Keeping your computer up to date helps, but realtime... I think it's still needed for AVERAGE users.

 

I agree. It's really astonishing that most people here rather prefer playing around with dozens of HIPS software. Most of them they simply wouldn't need under a limited account.

And I'd like to ask those of you who maintain that Windows isn't really usable under a limited account: If even my children (16 and 12 years old) can do it - why can't you

I've been doing it for many years, and I don't have any problems managing my Windows XP via the runas command and Aaron Margosis' MakeMeAdmin appoach. Have a look at http://blogs.msdn.com/aaron_margosis/ - you'll find a lot of valuable information regarding this topic. I suggest starting with this site

 

thats an easy question. it all depends on the software u use and the things you use teh computer for.

if one simply has AV/FW and browses teh net, then using a limited account would not cause problem.

but for those of use who install/remove many programs and do many tweaks, the limited account would be a terrible inconvenience.

 

Or you don't read many posts or your memory is bad, but I've seen it several times, but I'm too lazy to look for the posts.

 

This is true.

I should really get out of the software & services section more often.

 

Administrator account on my personal pc.

With my Ghost backups nearby.

 

Administrator. My computer just doesn't run right in limited status. I have Image for DOS so... Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!

 

Less fun.

I guess your children don't constantly tweak system settings trying to 'harden' their system, download and install whatever seems popular and new
programs particularly security programs and in general make major changes to their setup once every week or so.

 

Most normal applications can easily be installed with MakeMeAdmin. This is not true mainly for software that require a reboot after installation and further configuration with admin rights. This applies to many security applications. But - as I said - many of them are simply superfluous under a limited account. Example: Many people use applications which protect their hosts file - but a limited user has no write access for this file, so these programs are completely dispensable. The same is true e.g. for large parts of the registry and for most autostart locations - see this posting.

I agree that it might be fun to experiment with all these programs (I'm using some of them myself because I'm a control freak ) but they don't replace a sound security strategy. A sound security strategy starts with using a limited account - if you do this you no longer depend solely on your security applications (with their inevitable bugs), but they are simply a complement.

 

I found excellent support for my arguments in this highly interesting reading of a test of 16 security scanners. Especially enlightening is this conclusion:

"First, it's almost impossible to defend your PC from a modern malware program that is allowed to run on your PC with full admin privileges. The problem here is not with the security programs. The problem is with Windows."

 

I run as admin, BUT I start my internet progs (Firefox, Thunderbird) with Dropmyrights.exe, ie with limited rights. Works fine here.....

 

Dropmyrights is the wrong way - see my postings here, here and here.

 

i use admin, but for my wife i have create a limited user.

BHH

 

@tlu

...additionally I'm using Noscript,KAV,SSM and most importantly...........common sense! ;-)

 

I use an administrator account; however, my girlfriend's account on my computer is a Limited User account.

 

Nah, compared to other forums, WSF isn't really into LUA, most of the posts about that come from Tlu . WSF is into HIPS. Many of them need to run in admin I think.

 

When I initially setup all my home machines, they were all setup with the primary user accounts as LUA. I simply ran into too many compatibility issues (mainly the kids games, although at the time Norton Systemworks couldn't deal with LUA on initial release either, there were other application issues as well - none security software related although I do not recall details now) and eventually I gave it up since, frankly, I had better things to do with my time. Should this have been the state of affairs? No, but it was.

Blue

 

Admin account for me as well, for the above quoted reasons.

 

Agreed two.

Salu2

 

I didn´t know about this, I´ve read the article but I didn´t understand everything. But with a HIPS blocking things like "Windows Messages", you should be able to stop these attacks, I assume?