AOL Connectively Service & Security

This problem relates to this post (https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=17451), something I came across after I did a search. It concerns the AOL Connectively Service, which is required to run AOL 9.0 SE software, and its (AOLacsd.exe in the Task Manager) habit of forcing itself into the start-up process. One of the basics of system security is that every process on a Windows NT/2K/XP machine runs with the access of the account that launched it. So in this case, since it’s being booted with SYSTEM permissions, it gives the AOL software Administrator clearance over your computer.

Like a lot of AOL users, I was highly concerned with this. So here is how I disabled it:

1.) Make sure that no AOL software is running.

2.) Go into Services.msc, and change both AOL Connectively Service and AOL TopSpeed Monitor to Manual. (So you can start them if you want to use AOL.) But don't start them.

3.) Open regedt32.exe and make the following changes to the Registry:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

Add two new REG_DWORD keys:

NoChangeStartMenu = 1
DisableCurrentUserRun = 1

4.) Reboot.

5.) Now start the two AOL services (to the left, “Start the service”) and log onto AOL. If you get some kind of alert (like with WinGuard) that AOL made a change to your Startup list, go ahead and allow it, since in reality it will still be impotent. (Even though the AOL box will become checked in the MSConfig start list.)

After making these changes, AOL will be perpetually denied Administrator permissions, and none of their software will be running after a restart.

I'm curious though, did anyone else find a different solution to this problem? And can anyone see any serious unforeseen consequences to my tweak? Thanks for any help!