Super Admin: Have you enabled it on Windows?

Did you enabled the super admin?

  • Yes

  • No


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Dirk41

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Mar 17, 2016
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Hi everyone !

Recently I discovered that Windows has a built-in default disabled super admin account ( for those who did not know like me I provided a link , but there are many in the Internet , above )

First an "introduction":
I suppose , looking at your config ( if I am wrong please tell me ), that most of you use an admin account ( that one Windows give you when you log in the PC for the first time and you are the only user ).
I don't.
I use ( even if I am the only human user of my PCs) a standard user ( I mean a user without admin privileges ). And I created a local admin account (protected by pw) , so when I have to run something that requires admin privileges, UAC ask me that PW ( like the UAC that you see prompts in some videos , but I fill a pw instead of simply clicking Y/N).


So..

As you can read also in the link I provided , that super is used usually to troubleshoot problems .


But..
As using a standard account is an improvement in security ( MS suggest to use that , at least in Italy :D ) ..
I was wondering if it would be the same for super admin : so enable it and obviously protect it with a pw( like I protect the local admin with a pw request at every UAC prompt )

EDIT :Sorry I forgot to say that I would keep on using standard user


Actually I ask this out f curiosity , because I feel already pretty safe with my config .

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Thank you for reading :)
 
Last edited:

Dirk41

Level 17
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Mar 17, 2016
797
Agreed on keeping it disabled as there is generally no need for it.
When used it does not give you UAC prompts.
Used for troubleshooting where it is really something serious, you are locked out of your account and want a way to get back in or unrestricted CMD access


Thank you , and so .. Why , as suggested in the article , you can give it a pw ? When this pw would be asked ?


And excuse me @Exterminator , Why UAC would not prompt if i am logged in as standard user?
I will try on an old PC to understand properly
 
Last edited:

Ink

Administrator
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Jan 8, 2011
22,361
Thank you , and so .. Why , as suggested in the article , you can give it a pw ? When this pw would be asked ?
The article is about you provided is about How to enable Super Admin and therefore a Password should be set.

Hierarchy:
  1. Super Admin - No UAC, even if enabled
  2. Administrator - UAC prompts
  3. Standard - UAC prompts with Password Protection (if set by Admin)
  4. Guest - Kiosk
It is not intended for everyday use. Most troubleshooting can be achieved under Administrator account, without the need for Super Admin.
 

Dirk41

Level 17
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Mar 17, 2016
797
Thank you

I provided it to explain to others ( in case they did not know about the super admin ) what is the super admin

But in the post I explained that I would have liked to know if enabling it and setting a pw for him , would have been an improvement in security ( as far as I stay logged as standard user account )

Anyway I got your point thank you
 

Dirk41

Level 17
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Top Poster
Well-known
Mar 17, 2016
797
Ok guys I missed to say one thing : enable it -> give it a pw -> disable it .

Are there malwares who can use the super admin to escalate privileges?
And so , doing that , you could block them?

What to you thing @Wave of my last post ?


@tim one regarding Linux : root has a pw


I admit that obviously someone else suggested me this XD



So the title is incorrect : should be " have you given super admin a pw"? Sorry
 
Last edited:
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