Is W7 Guest Account the Safest Account to Use On the Web?

[partly cloudy]

I've been plagued Trojans and re-directs lately with a W7 Standard Account which I thought and taught was the right choice for safer web browsing. Not as many system ports open to attack.

So, if MS recommends the Standard Account over Administrator for safety reasons, is using the Guest Account for web browsing safer yet?

I dunno' ...

I use IE10 and I am a Fully Updated Safe Surfer. No other Browsers or Bars installed.

 

[UsernameIssues]

It is possible that you computer is infected in such a way the most antivirus tools cannot find the infection. These types of infections try to download/install other infections (which might be caught by your antivirus program). There is a place in your system spec for the antivirus tool, please update that field when you get a chance.

If you have java installed, uninstall it or at least disable it. Let us know if you need help doing that.

You might want to try a scan using this tool:
What is Windows Defender Offline?

But to answer your question, you do not want to use the guest account for day to day use.

 

[partly cloudy]

back ack

The problem (Trojan) was cured. I picked it up under a Standard Account. I don't use Admin Accounts online. Very seldom.

It didn't infect my Admin Account.

If I'm not going to store any files or make any changes to the Guest Account. If I find something I want to buy or download, I Switch User to one with those rights and permissions.

I was just curious, is Guest safer than Standard for Browsing.

 

[UsernameIssues]

I don't see how it would be safer.

Despite what Microsoft states here:
What is a guest account?

You can do all of those things if you know the password for the admin account; so, in that respect, it is just like a standard user.

 

[Britton30]

A Trojan, backhole, worm, and others can infect the PC, not just an account on the PC. You know when software is installed some ask whether for all users or just me? A malware will give itself top admin privilege to do its dirty job, whatever it is.
One can lie dormant too and wait for some kind of trigger to "revive" and keep on ticking. I don't think any type of account is more secure.

Careless and willy-nilly clicking grabs more infections than anything. Crapware bundles with otherwise good, free software is another way they intrude on a PC.

 

[Alejandro85]

Guest account is even more limited that the standard, so it might be a little safer than it. MS recommendation here is good, and it may as well apply to the guest account. I don't exactly know what are the extra limitations, but normally, if you're using a good antivirus (properly updated), have UAC at the highest level (the default is useless as it can be bypassed), a firewall with a tight policy and most important common sense on what you click and accept, you should be reasonably safe. From your post, THE big problem is that you're using Internet Explorer. If you're afraid of security, you should really consider a serious browser instead.

Of course, if the computer is already infected with something, getting even more malware is even easier. To be sure, run a scan when in doubt.

 

[chris1neji]

A guest account is actually something I have in my laptop that I leave on my friends house. I set up security policies on the guest account to make it even more limited. There is no true way to stay safe on the web, we can be cautions and alert though that's your best defense. With UAC and Security policies integrated with IE, I disagree with Alejandro85 about IE being the big problem, out of the box it is easy to configured to be more protective within browser settings, on top of that it's a nice browser for power users who want to have full control of how it behaves thanks to Policy Group Control. PLUS is a 64 bit browser, I know sometime last year Firefox got on the same boat, I believe Chrome is working on it or recently joined the club. 64 bit = more secure.

 

[Alejandro85]

I disagree with Alejandro85 about IE being the big problem, out of the box it is easy to configured to be more protective within browser settings, on top of that it's a nice browser for power users who want to have full control of how it behaves thanks to Policy Group Control

Well, hackers and viruses of all kinds have already proved that it's worse than other browsers, as well as being tightly coupled to the OS being another bad point. But it's up to each one. Ask Google when in doubt.

PLUS is a 64 bit browser, I know sometime last year Firefox got on the same boat, I believe Chrome is working on it or recently joined the club. 64 bit = more secure.

What has 64 bits to do with security? The programs will be the same if the migration is properly done by the developers, and will be as good or as bad as the 32 bits version. There might be some performance differences, mostly unnoticeable on web browsers, and maybe compatibility problems with addins, but nothing about security.
Besides, IE has BOTH a 32 and 64 bits version and you are free to use each one as you like. Also, other browsers also have 64 bits versions. Opera and Firefox already have it, no idea about Chrome or other browsers.
But saying that 64 bits is itself inherently more secure is absolutely fake.

 

[chris1neji]

Wow Mr. Alejandro I hope I didn't strike a nerve, I am not here to debate. "What has 64 bits to do with security" I will be an honest person and say that this made me laugh and also change my views on your post.

Anyways this forum was design around the philosophy of helping others, so I will share what I know about 64 bit security.
64 bit security :
64-bit Firefox for Windows should be prioritized, not suspended | Ars Technica
BTW in Windows 8, IE takes full advantage of ASLR.

If you like to continue this discussion please feel free to send me a private message I have much more information about how browser security works and behaves. Why IE is a great browser solution for many business, is it the most secure browser out there ? We can't know this because security will always be an arms races, it's a constant struggle. However Internet Explorer is not "the big problem".

Side note in Windows 8, any system that is 64 bit by default will be operating in IE 10 64 bit.

 

[partly cloudy]

Thanks for the replies

I should include more info I suppose. W7HPSp1 64b (completely updated), Microsoft Security Essentials the same, Advanced SystemCare Ultimate (paid for) and Malwarebytes AM (paid for). I'm behind a Cisco Router and a Westell DSL Modem. I'm a Believer in Microsoft (forgive me for that) :shock: and use only their products in my computing needs. I'm running Internet Explorer 10 64b with no other Browsers installed. No other Email accounts outside of Hotmail and Live. No Messenger Account.

My Windows Users Standard Account picked up a Trojan. I immediately went to an Admin Account and deleted that Standard User Account entirely. Rebooted and did some plodding through User Properties and nothing unusual stood out. Did a Shutdown, unplugged AC, pushed Start for a while and then plugged back up and rebooted. No problems. Went to Users and turned on the Guest Account. Used it four days.

Today while using my Guest Account, my Advanced SystemCare blocked an attack on this gem: Gen:Variant.Kazy.146956

So now I'm still wondering is Guest safer than Standard?

Would using a Search Engine (Google in this case) bring bad vibes? I don't go to bad places. I have two chatrooms whose names I won't disclose, but they're "Trusted" and each as secure as I can make them. Just wondering.

 

[UsernameIssues]

Maybe someone in this thread can find a list of the restrictions that Microsoft places on the guest account and then we can discuss if it is safer than a standard account.

So - you got this Trojan. Tell me again how you know that "The problem (Trojan) was cured".