limited user account

Will being logged on as a limited user in Windows prevent all malware installations?

 

Read more about limited user in this article. According to some of the posted comments to the article, the answer to your question is a resounding "NO".

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2006/05/the_importance_of_the_limited.html

http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/advanced/useraccount.mspx

 

I know it's a late reply, but using Limited User Account in Windows XP is the best thing you can do for your security.

It prevents:
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Writing/Deleting critical registry entries
Writing/Deleting files in Program Files
Writing/Deleting files in C:\Windows\*
Writing/Deleting files from C:\
Installing Kernel Drivers/Services
Changing System Date/Time
Low Level Disk Access

And I'm sure there's a hell of a lot more it does that I'm forgetting. If the above look to you like things a malware does and you don't want them doing, then you should consider using a Limited User Account.

I recommend install "sudown" which is a Windows implementation of a Linux concept called "sudo". Basically it is a "Run as Administrator" tool, so when using your Limited User Account, you can still install software cleanly, just by typing your password.

It has many advantages over the built in Windows "Run As" context menu item, first and foremost being that the escalated privilege is passed on to any child processes that spawn.

Running a Limited User Account causes me about 1% of annoyance, because some of the software I run at startup requires Administrator privileges (ProtoWall, ATITool) so I have to type my password twice to make those launch cleanly. But for that 1% of annoyance, look at all the protection I get!

Well worth doing, I'm amazed it's not talked about more, especially on a place like Wilders.

 

copy/paste a google keywords search for:

security limited user account windows xp pro

benefits limited user account windows xp pro

go to start menu in windows xp pro:

copy/paste help and support center keywords search for:

limited user accounts

security

 

It's difficult to argue with that advice.