How secure is a "real" Administrator account?

[Ray]

I've come across a number of sites describing how to set up a "real"
Administrator account in Vista. Is such an account any less secure
than an administrator account in Win 2000?

--
Ray
(remove the Xs to reply)

 

[brink]

Re: How secure is a "real" Administrator account?


Ray;532617 Wrote:
> I've come across a number of sites describing how to set up a "real"
> Administrator account in Vista. Is such an account any less secure
> than an administrator account in Win 2000?
>
> --
> Ray
> (remove the Xs to reply)

Hi Ray,

Running Vista in the Real Built-in Administrator account is just like
running your computer with XP. As long as you have your usual security
programs, (Antivirus, Firewall, Anti-Spyware/Adware, etc....), and not
visit any questionable websites, you should be just fine.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/67567-administrator-account.html


The main security advantage to not using the built-in Administrator
account is UAC (User Account Control). You can read more on what this
is here.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/48893-user-account-control-uac.html


Hope this helps,
Shawn


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brink

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[Richard G. Harper]

Re: How secure is a "real" Administrator account?

Any account with full Administrator accounts is vulnerable to some degree,
that degree largely being what you do with it. The OS doesn't matter.

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"Ray" <vortren-newsx@yaxhoo.com> wrote in message
news:Xns99FAA3753FEA5amfmssb@207.46.248.16...
> I've come across a number of sites describing how to set up a "real"
> Administrator account in Vista. Is such an account any less secure
> than an administrator account in Win 2000?
>
> --
> Ray
> (remove the Xs to reply)

 

[Ray]

Re: How secure is a "real" Administrator account?

brink <brink.30zjk2@no-mx.forums.net> wrote:

> Ray;532617 Wrote:
>> I've come across a number of sites describing how to set up a
>> "real" Administrator account in Vista. Is such an account any
>> less secure than an administrator account in Win 2000?

> Running Vista in the Real Built-in Administrator account is just
> like running your computer with XP. As long as you have your
> usual security programs, (Antivirus, Firewall,
> Anti-Spyware/Adware, etc....), and not visit any questionable
> websites, you should be just fine.

I suspected that was the case, but the dire warnings accompanying
articles about the subject made me wonder if it was more vulnerable
that what I'm used to. Glad to hear it isn't.

> http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/67567-administrator-account.html
>
> The main security advantage to not using the built-in
> Administrator account is UAC (User Account Control). You can read
> more on what this is here.
>
> http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/48893-user-account-control-uac.ht
> ml

Thanks for the links; lots of good info on that site. UAC got to be
too annoying, so I turned it off shortly after acquiring a Vista
system. Maybe someday when I'm mostly finished configuring things I'll
turn it back on.

--
Ray
(remove the Xs to reply)

 

[brink]

Re: How secure is a "real" Administrator account?


Ray;534617 Wrote:
>
> I suspected that was the case, but the dire warnings accompanying
> articles about the subject made me wonder if it was more vulnerable
> that what I'm used to. Glad to hear it isn't.
>
>
> Thanks for the links; lots of good info on that site. UAC got to be
> too annoying, so I turned it off shortly after acquiring a Vista
> system. Maybe someday when I'm mostly finished configuring things I'll
> turn it back on.
>
> --
> Ray
> (remove the Xs to reply)

Your welcome Ray,

Glad it was of help to you. Thank you for the feedback.

Shawn


--
brink

*There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask them.*
WWW.VISTAX64.COM (\"HTTP://WWW.VISTAX64.COM\")
*Please post feedback to help others.*

 

[Nick /////]

Re: How secure is a "real" Administrator account?

"Ray" <vortren-newsx@yaxhoo.com> wrote in message
news:Xns99FCA44723311amfmssb@207.46.248.16...
> brink <brink.30zjk2@no-mx.forums.net> wrote:
> Thanks for the links; lots of good info on that site. UAC got to be
> too annoying, so I turned it off shortly after acquiring a Vista
> system. Maybe someday when I'm mostly finished configuring things I'll
> turn it back on.
>
> --
> Ray
> (remove the Xs to reply)
I would suggest that as and when you are more comfortable with Vista you
should try turning UAC back on.

I've run as follows:

1) Enabled the hidden Administrator Account. Have never had a reason to use
it other that comfort in knowing it is there - see 2)
2) Created my user account with administrator privileges
3) Used 2) and lived with UAC from day one

At first UAC drove me crazy, but now it is not so annoying, semi second
nature, and reassuring in that I know when programs are requesting elevated
privileges.

IMHO it is a very good compromise between running a traditional XP user
account with no admin privileges and running XP with full admin control.

Nick /////