My administrator account isn't really an administrator

Lauriso

New Member
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6
I have only one account on my computer, and it's an administrator account.
However, I still have the "run as admin" option in the context menu. How come?

Often I get issues when running installations, because they don't have the necessary permissions until I run them as admin. But Windows already states I am an admin! That makes very little sense to me.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
Ever since vista windows has used a dual token system of administrator security, the administrator actually runs as a normal user until elevated to full administrator status. this is a vastly more secure system than used by many home users in XP - the XP system meant that any malware that entered the system would run as a full administrator and could do untold system damage the Dual token system now in use limits any malware damage to a much reduced level, It's basically a semi auto method of the security used by professional users for many years even before XP
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro x64 x2 Windows 10 Enterprise x64, Ubuntu
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Real World Computing
    CPU
    AMD FX8350 8 Core @4GHz
    Motherboard
    Asus M5A78L-M USB3
    Memory
    32GB [4x8GB] DDR3 1600 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Asus nVidia GTX750TI-OC-2GD5 (2GB DDR5)
    Sound Card
    ASUS Xoner DG + SPDIF to 5.1 System + HDMI
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer G276HL 27", (DVi) + Samsung 39" HDTV (HDMI)
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080 @60Hz + 1920 x 1080 @60Hz
    Hard Drives
    Internal
    Crucial 256GB SSD,
    WDC WD30EZRX-00D8PB0 3TB,
    Toshiba HDWD130 3TB
    Seagate ST2000DM001-1CH1 2TB,

    External (USB3)
    Seagate Backup+ Hub BK SCSI Disk 8TB
    2.5/3.5 Hot Swap Cradle, USB3 + eSata (client HDDs)

    NAS
    Seagate ST4000DM000
    PSU
    Aerocool Templarius Imperator 750W 80+ Silver
    Case
    AeroCool X-Warrior Devil Red Tower
    Cooling
    Stock CPU, Rear 120mm, Front 2x120mm, Side 2x120mm
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wireless K710 & K270
    Mouse
    Logitech Wireless M710 M185 & M570 Trackball
    Internet Speed
    37Mb/s Down - 9.5Mb/s Up
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    BitDefender Total Security 2017
    Other Info
    Also run...

    Desktop - 6Core 8GB - Windows 10 Enterprise x64,
    Laptop - Quad 8GB - Windows 10 Pro x64
    Netbook - Ubuntu
    2 x Nexus 7 Android tablets
    Samsung 10.2" tablet
    Sony Z3 Android Smartphone
    HTC One Android Smartphone
In XP and older systems an Administrator level account was fully elevated all the time with all of it's attendant rights and privileges. That was convenient. But XP was released in 2001 and a great deal has changed since then. Security threats have grown from a relatively minor problem to a very serious one, and it is only expected to become worse. It is war between malicious software and the software that tries defend against these threats. Many experts believe that malware is winning.

By default any software you run has all the rights and privileges as the account it runs under. If that software is malicious you have a serious problem. It has all the rights you do and it will exercise them, no questions asked.

By the time development was begun on Vista Microsoft realized that a full time admin account, while convenient, was too dangerous for general use, at least as the default configuration. This brought about the security system known as UAC where an admin account normally has only limited rights but can be elevated when needed. UAC can be disabled providing a full time admin account but this is NOT recommended.

UAC is a good compromise between security and convenience. Security always has it's price.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
I have only one account on my computer, and it's an administrator account.

Actually, you don't. You also have another account that was created when the OS was installed -- the "hidden" Administrator account.

You can unhide this, but that is unwise and running under that account essentially defeats the security mechanisms MS has worked hard to build into Windows since Vista.
 

My Computer

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