Educause Security Discussion mailing list archives
Re: Non-administrator advantages / disadvantages
From: "Shalla, Kevin" <kshalla () UIC EDU>
Date: Fri, 30 Nov 2012 21:45:42 +0000
This is a disadvantage from the user's perspective. They want to do what they want to do when they want to do it. I have to provide support and demonstrate value added. It's difficult to argue this: "I know you're the administrator of your own computer at home, and it works for you, and nothing gets in your way, but here at work, we have to slow you down because it's for your own good, and the good of the university." We've been short of staffing, but still striving towards automating software updates, but so far the only thing we've mastered is through group policy, which isn't very reliable. Further, Adobe and Java are frequently telling users to update, yet when they try, they are thwarted. Thus, we have users questioning our value, and saying "Give me the keys, you guys are too slow". Kevin From: The EDUCAUSE Security Constituent Group Listserv [mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU] On Behalf Of Morrow Long Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 2:31 PM To: SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU Subject: Re: [SECURITY] Non-administrator advantages / disadvantages
Disadvantages User cannot install or update some software immediately - have to wait for desktop support.
This is a disadvantage :-? From: The EDUCAUSE Security Constituent Group Listserv [mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU] On Behalf Of Shalla, Kevin Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 3:24 PM To: SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU<mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU> Subject: [SECURITY] Non-administrator advantages / disadvantages I'm trying to highlight the advantages and disadvantages of prohibiting administrator access for users of Windows computers. Can you provide feedback on what I have below? By the way, what's an example of software that is generally prohibited? Is BitTorrent an example? Is it common? Advantages Most malware stays on one user profile, so other users on same machine are unaffected. Deleting the profile can remove the malware. Prohibited (by policy) software doesn't get installed. Combinations of software known to be problematic are not installed (like multiple active versions of antivirus). Disadvantages User cannot install or update some software immediately - have to wait for desktop support. Kevin Shalla
Current thread:
- Non-administrator advantages / disadvantages Shalla, Kevin (Nov 27)
- Re: Non-administrator advantages / disadvantages Morrow Long (Nov 27)
- Re: Non-administrator advantages / disadvantages Jason Gates (Nov 27)
- Re: Non-administrator advantages / disadvantages Shalla, Kevin (Nov 30)
- Re: Non-administrator advantages / disadvantages randy (Dec 02)
- Re: Non-administrator advantages / disadvantages Steven Alexander (Dec 03)
- Re: Non-administrator advantages / disadvantages Morrow Long (Nov 27)
- Re: Non-administrator advantages / disadvantages Steven Alexander (Nov 27)
- Re: Non-administrator advantages / disadvantages Shalla, Kevin (Nov 30)
- Re: Non-administrator advantages / disadvantages Christopher R Webber (Nov 30)
- Re: Non-administrator advantages / disadvantages Eric C. Lukens (Nov 30)
- Re: Non-administrator advantages / disadvantages Eric Case (Dec 01)
- Re: Non-administrator advantages / disadvantages Shalla, Kevin (Nov 30)
- <Possible follow-ups>
- Re: Non-administrator advantages / disadvantages Geoffrey Steven Nathan (Dec 01)
- Re: Non-administrator advantages / disadvantages Jeff Kell (Dec 01)
- Re: Non-administrator advantages / disadvantages Chuck Braden (Dec 01)