Book Image

Least Privilege Security for Windows 7, Vista and XP

By : Russell Smith
Book Image

Least Privilege Security for Windows 7, Vista and XP

By: Russell Smith

Overview of this book

Least Privilege Security is the practice of assigning users and programs the minimum permissions required to complete a given task. Implementing this principle in different versions of Microsoft Windows requires careful planning and a good understanding of Windows security. While there are benefits in implementing Least Privilege Security on the desktop, there are many technical challenges that you will face when restricting privileges.This book contains detailed step-by-step instructions for implementing Least Privilege Security on the desktop for different versions of Windows and related management technologies. It will provide you with quick solutions for common technical challenges, Microsoft best practice advice, and techniques for managing Least Privilege on the desktop along with details on the impact of Least Privilege Security.The book begins by showing you how to apply Least Privilege Security to different categories of users. You will then prepare a desktop image with Least Privilege Security enabled from the start and deploy the new image while preserving users' files and settings. You will identify problems with applications caused by Least Privilege Security using the Application Compatibility Toolkit. This book will help you configure User Account Control on multiple computers using Group Policy and support Least Privilege user accounts using reliable remote access. Then, you will modify legacy applications for Least Privilege Security, achieving the best balance between compatibility and security by using Application Compatibility shims. You will install per-machine ActiveX Controls using the ActiveX Installer Service (AxIS). The book will help you implement best practices for working with ActiveX Controls in a managed environment. Finally, you will deploy default Software Restriction Policy (SRP) or AppLocker rules to ensure only programs installed in protected locations can run and blacklist applications using SRP or AppLocker.
Table of Contents (19 chapters)
Least Privilege Security for Windows 7, Vista and XP
Credits
About the Author
About the Reviewers
Preface
12
Provisioning Applications on Secure Desktops with Remote Desktop Services

User Account Control components


Let's look at the different technologies that constitute User Account Control. The following is a list of UAC's core components:

  • Elevation prompts and auto-elevation

  • Protected administrator accounts and Admin Approval Mode

  • Windows Integrity Mechanism and User Interface Privilege Isolation

  • Application Information Service

  • Filesystem and registry virtualization

  • Internet Explorer Protected Mode

  • ActiveX Installer Service

We'll learn about these components in detail later in this chapter (except the ActiveX Installer Service, which is covered in Chapter 7). Here is a brief description of each component and how it relates to Least Privilege Security.

Elevation prompts

User Account Control automates the process of elevating privileges for convenience in many circumstances, and provides two different types of elevation prompt depending on whether the user is running as a standard user or a protected administrator. Auto-elevation means users don't usually have to decide which...