Tag: UAC

Leading up to its release, there was a lot of concern regarding Windows 7's default User Account Control (UAC) settings. Namely: it doesn't actually provide any damn security. Alas. Basically, Microsoft went ahead and reacted to the public outcry regarding the Vista security confirmations. I think we can all agree that they were really annoying (and most power-users turn UAC off because of ...

Since we last brought you news about a UAC vulnerability in Windows 7, Microsoft opened their ears to the beta testers at the time and quickly released a patch that plugged the security hole. However, another UAC flaw has been discovered in Windows 7. In fact, it's been quietly lurking around in the dark corners of the internet since February. What's different about this one is that not only ...

Remember the little UAC bug Long Zheng noticed the other day? It's been fixed. As announced on the Engineering Windows 7 blog, UAC behavior has been changed in two key ways. First, confirmation is now required when any UAC changes are initiated. Second, the UAC control panel itself will now run in a "high integrity process" that can't be compromised using mechanisms like sendkeys. Yes, it's ...

When Microsoft introduced UAC in Windows Vista, it was pretty much universally slammed for being annoying, intrusive, and unwanted. So with Windows 7, Microsoft decided to respond to the complaints and ease up on the prompts. Now, there's an uproar because doing this has caused security problems. The problem: by default, UAC in Windows 7 doesn't notify you if you make changes to Windows settings. ...

One of the most reviled components of Windows Vista is the User Account Control menu. It pops up when you're trying to install software, configure system changes, or make other changes. Sometimes it feels like it pops up if you move your mouse the wrong way. But there's hope. No, not for Windows Vista users, but for anyone interested in the next version of Windows. Microsoft plans to roll out a ...

One of the first things Windows XP users will notice if and when they switch to Vista is the User Account Control, affectionately referred to as UAC or "Why the hell does this window keep popping up!" The UAC prompt is a security feature that will alert you if you are about to make changes to your computer that could technically expose it to some threats. Some users get around this by disabling ...

Microsoft threw a curve ball to PC users who have spent the last five years getting to know the ins and outs of Windows XP. Windows Vista promised enhanced security, new and improved graphics, and a redesigned start menu and file explorer. But Vista also suffers from backward compatibility problems and some design changes that seem to value flash over function. Is it worth upgrading your ...

As regular computer user, I don't have much interest in migrating to Vista in the immediate future. I don't think it offers any great leap in usability or functionality over XP. UAC (User Access Control) is definitely much needed and will improve security overall but it can be annoying as hell for average users. Aero Glass UI is nice to look at but does nothing to actually let you work more ...

Tired of those "A program needs your permission to continue" warnings in Windows Vista? Well, you could turn the User Account Control off through Vista's control panel, but that eliminates some of Vista's oft-touted security enhancements. Odds are the times you get most frustrated with the pop up warnings are when you're installing and testing new software on your computer, so it'd be nice to ...

Much has been said about the new User Account Control (UAC) system that will be shipping with WIndows Vista. UAC is supposed to usher in a new era of security for Windows by preventing, for example, unauthorized programs from making changes to system files. Vista beta-testers are finding it to be a bit of a nuisance, however, with UAC prompts popping up for all manner of seemily-innocent ...