Re: Windows,Linux, admin account's, su,runas, and user switching

["Tim Syratt" <tim () syratt com>]

Hello,

Would 'runas' suit your needs? open a command wnidow, and type runas for
syntax.

Regs,
Tim

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Tomatohead () myrealbox com>
To: <security-basics () securityfocus com>
Sent: Saturday, October 18, 2003 1:39 AM
Subject: Windows,Linux, admin account's, su,runas, and user switching


> I just recently started running as a non-admin on my windows 2000 pro
> home machine.
>
> The main reason I had put this off for so long is because it is a PAIN
> on windows to run as anything but admin !
>
> Though runas alleviates a lot of problems, it is a pain in the butt
> to enter your pass everytime you need to run a system program.
>
> Of course, I know this is the whole point !
>
> Linux has su which "caches" your credentials for a while ... a very
> nice feature.
>
> Windows XP has user switching, but I had heard user switching somehow
> weakens the system security ?
> Is this true at all ?
>
> I have come up with my own solution to this ...
> which i hope is a nice compromise between security and convenience.
>
> I LOVE this program Total Commander. Now I have it set up as a sort of
> "mini Admin shell". I launch all the programs i need to run as admin
> from it, like control panel, services and other admin tools, nero, etc
> ... I have Total Comm. itself setup with "runas different user" .
>
> The main risk of running as admin is that you may inadvertently run some
> mailicious code under admin privaleges.
> So I should be safe having this "mini admin shell" running in the
> background ... since only programs i launch from it will have root
> privaleges ?
>
> Any thought's on this welcome.
>
> p.s.
> If anyone wants to comment on the effectiveness of the windows GINA
> (screen lockout mechanism) I'd like to hear opinions on that too.
>
> cheers,
> e
>
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Learn how Solsoft can help you:
- Ensure robust IP security through policy-based management
- Make firewall, VPN, and NAT rules interoperable across heterogeneous
networks
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