Re: Executing app with admin privileges

[Christopher Rector <crector () siumed edu>]

Why not use something that encrypts the admin password, there are 
several secure run-as utilities available on 
http://www.commandline.co.uk/sanur/

In this case I would create Logon script for the application, change the 
icon to whatever the original icon for the program is and place the new 
application start up file where ever it's needed.

But the best solution is to use regmon/filemon (www.sysinternals.com) to 
find the keys/files that require admin rights to execute and set 
security permissions on those keys/files/folders as needed to get the 
application to run correctly.

In every case I've ever run into like this, I've only had two instances 
where I couldn't get the application to work correctly just by setting 
the correct file/registry permissions (Palm Desktop and one other 
specialized application only on an XP box). It just takes a little bit 
of time and effort to find the files and keys that you need to change 
permissions on.

Using the secure run-as allowed me to run the application as a box admin 
without providing my users with any additional rights or passwords to 
login as an admin.  It's not perfect but it did what it was intended to do.

Wesley Ward wrote:

> This is correct, the problem lies with giving the end user the account
> info to use the run as on the executable. By giving the end user these
> credentials, you are giving them admin rights to that machine.   
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Smith [mailto:nich95ds () gmail com] 
> Sent: Friday, July 21, 2006 3:44 PM
> To: 'Jeffrey Wei'; security-basics () securityfocus com
> Subject: RE: Executing app with admin privileges
>
> If I understand the Run As feature correctly, it gives a user "full
> local admin privileges in order for (the app) to run". It does that and
> only that.
> If a user needs admin privileges to run the app, right-click the
> executable, click Run As, and select an Admin or a user with admin
> privileges. It's not actually giving the user full admin privileges to
> the machine. It's only to run the app. Can someone correct me if I'm
> wrong?
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jeffrey Wei [mailto:jeffrey.wei () cubic com]
> Sent: Friday, July 21, 2006 11:48 AM
> To: security-basics () securityfocus com
> Subject: RE: Executing app with admin privileges
>
> Our company recently had a need to do what you've described below as one
> of our in-house developed software absolutely requires full local admin
> privileges in order for it to run properly and getting the software
> re-tooled would take too much time and $$...
>
> So, to get around that, I've found a free program called MS Toolkit (you
> should be able to google it) and utilize its configurations to limit
> access for a specific XP Pro user account that was given full local
> admin privileges, but locked down using the toolkit.  You'll need to
> manipulate it a little to allow the specific software in question, but
> it wouldn't be hard at all.
>
>
> Jeffrey Wei
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dummy cerberus [mailto:dummycerberus () gmail com]
> Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2006 1:56 AM
> To: security-basics () securityfocus com
> Subject: Executing app with admin privileges
>
> Hello everyone,
>
> I have come across with the following problem:
>
> I work at the systems department, and we MUST host every stupid
> application that is developed all over the organisation... most of the
> times with no common criteria at all, neither with common sense.
>
> Now, we have to install a client/server application, and it has been
> developed in such a way, that the user who executes the client side, has
> to have "local admin/advanced user" privileges on the desktop where he
> is executing it...
>
> There's no way to modify that application, so I wonder whether or not
> there is a tool that could allow me to configure the system in such a
> way that all the users could execute that application, without giving
> them "local admin/advanced user" privileges for the whole system (only
> for that stupid application).
>
> I wonder if there's a way to acomplish that wether with AD policies or
> third party tools (better if free ;-)
>
> Thanks in advance, and best regards
>
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--
Christopher Rector, MCSE
Computer Information Specialist
Southern Illinois University
School of Medicine
Department of Ob/Gyn
217-545-9182

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