An In-Depth Explanation Of UAC

One of the biggest changes (for the better) added to Windows Vista is the UAC (User Account Control) security feature. While this is a fantastic security measure, it often gets criticized for being ‘annoying’. This is completely unfair since it addresses one of Windows’ most critical issues: user security. A great article which explains almost to in-depth is: Inside Windows Vista User Account Control.

If you read nothing else (the article is rather lenghty), you should at least read the section “UAC’s Goal” as this gives a very concise explanation of what UAC’s intent is:

The UAC solution to these problems is to run most applications with standard user rights, obviate the need for administrator rights all the time [...].

Linux and Mac both have a similar measure in place, and have for a long time. UAC is here to stay and for good reason as it is an extra layer of security which Windows has needed for a long time.

Like what you read?

If so, please join over 28,000 people who receive our exclusive weekly newsletter and computer tips, and get FREE COPIES of 5 eBooks we created, as our gift to you for subscribing. Just enter your name and email below:

Bob Weiniger
I couldn’t disagree more. Never in the history of Windows home/office computing has there ever been a more aggravating and frustrating operating system ‘feature’. If MS feels they simply MUST include an AI (artificial idiot) ‘nanny emulator’ program, they should at least make ‘disabled’ the ‘default’ setting.
First thing i do when encountering this useless bit of ‘nagware’ in a clients computer is disable it…for which they happily pay me $100 or more for my trouble as they are so very grateful to be rid of it!
So while it would surely be in my clients best interest to eliminate the ‘nanny’, I must also concede that it’s a major ‘profit center’ for independent PC service entrepreneurs like me.

Matt
Agree with you 100%, I haven’t had any problems with security before UAC (previous versions of windows) or Vista without it. It’s a pain in the neck. If it came up when something was trying to launch that I hadn’t requested, fair enough, but otherwise it really is ‘nagware’