Do you use UAC (User Account Control)?

[Lady Fitzgerald]

"Cr00zng"

Malware nowadays isn't as noticeable as it used to be, especially the ones that trying to steal your information, money, etc. The seemingly a OK system may have this type of malware running in the background, collecting information, transferring your money, etc. Once you notice some issues and restore from backup, the chances are that this type of malware will be restored as well.

That is why I have Avast Internet Security running. I also am behind a Nat Router.

As good as AVAST is, something could sneak by, such as a new nasty that AVAST hasn't written a definition for yet. Keep in mind that AVs, etc. are more retroactive than proactive; they mostly respond to known nasties. If set correctly, UAC will alert you every time a process is being started so it will be difficult to impossible for a nasty to start a process without your knowledge as long as you allow UAC to do its thing and you take the extra second to read the popup before clicking on it.

 

[Cr00zng]

Yes, I view it as the last line of defence to getting something installed on my system.

You could also use Winpatrol that also will warn, if the system settings changed, as backup for malware bypassing UAC.

 

[Golden]

Yep, I have that too.

 

[Cr00zng]

It's pretty much the same as Linux Mint, except the UAC cannot be disabled in Linux Mint. At least not by my knowledge level of this Linux

An analogy, although not exactly accurate:
Linux = SUDO
Windows = UAC

In Linux, you never (usually) run with administrator privileges - hence you are required to elevate certain commands using SUDO.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudo

From the operation perspective, SUDO is the same as UAC, as long as one needs to enter the password for the UAC. Minor differences, but both of them do the same...

Not being able to login as root in Linux Mint actually ticked me off and enabled root login. I seldom login as root, but it is my choice and not some developer(s) somewhere.

I do find interesting that we are discussing UAC on/off, while in the Linux world it is a given that the UAC/SUDO is turned on and should not be disabled. I am not even sure that it can be disabled...

 

[Golden]

I am not even sure that it can be disabled...

There are a few ways, but I've never tested them....
How to disable sudo password prompt in Linux | PHP Architect blog

 

[Cr00zng]

As good as AVAST is, something could sneak by, such as a new nasty that AVAST hasn't written a definition for yet. Keep in mind that AVs, etc. are more retroactive than proactive; they mostly respond to known nasties. If set correctly, UAC will alert you every time a process is being started so it will be difficult to impossible for a nasty to start a process without your knowledge as long as you allow UAC to do its thing and you take the extra second to read the popup before clicking on it.

But...

AV vendors have been integrating heuristic/ behavioral based protection, in addition to the signature based detection. Kaspersky and BitDefender had been the leading companies in heuristic/ behavioral protection, stopping about 97% of the new malware without signatures. Avast is lagging behind them, at around 87%...

 

[Cr00zng]

There are a few ways, but I've never tested them....
How to disable sudo password prompt in Linux | PHP Architect blog

Thanks for the tip and will try it since it is easily reversible...

 

[Gary]

"Cr00zng"

Malware nowadays isn't as noticeable as it used to be, especially the ones that trying to steal your information, money, etc. The seemingly a OK system may have this type of malware running in the background, collecting information, transferring your money, etc. Once you notice some issues and restore from backup, the chances are that this type of malware will be restored as well.

That is why I have Avast Internet Security running. I also am behind a Nat Router.

As good as AVAST is, something could sneak by, such as a new nasty that AVAST hasn't written a definition for yet. Keep in mind that AVs, etc. are more retroactive than proactive; they mostly respond to known nasties. If set correctly, UAC will alert you every time a process is being started so it will be difficult to impossible for a nasty to start a process without your knowledge as long as you allow UAC to do its thing and you take the extra second to read the popup before clicking on it.

I have never had a malware problem, I have never gotten a virus. I have a Firewall (not Windows). I just do not need a machine to do the thinking for me and tell me if it is OK to install this or that, BTW AIS has an auto sandbox which basically does the same thing.

 

[UsernameIssues]

Yes, I do and it forces me to enter the password for the admin account. It's pretty much the same as Linux Mint, except the UAC cannot be disabled in Linux Mint. At least not by my knowledge level of this Linux.

Malware can routinely bypass/disable UAC and my system also has MS EMET running to block buffer-overflows in internet connected and other applications.

I would be interested in seeing a write up of malware bypassing the UAC (when it is set to the max level) without user interaction. I've searched for same and I must not be using the right search terms.

 

[UsernameIssues]

One of the first things I did after upgrading to Win 7 was disable UAC. It was so annoying I couldn't stand it. It's not an age thing - I'm 65. I am the only user of my laptop and, believe it or not, in 15 years of using the internet, have never once been hijacked or infected with anything. UAC may be useful for some, but I'll take my chances.

But you are not just taking chances for yourself - you are on the internet, not on an island. If your computer becomes infected, it impacts others, not just you. Malware that fraudulently earns money by "clicking thru" to websites costs us all money.

I just cleaned 2 such infections from a friend's computer that the av tools (Norton and later MSE) and Malwarebytes never saw. As best I can tell, this computer had been infected for more than a year.

If you get infected with a well written app, you (and your antivirus app) will never know that it is there. An offline scanner like WDO might find it, but a regular antivirus tool won't. There is no way of knowing if you were never infected with malware.

edit: BTW, I'm not attempting to get you to use the UAC. We are just chatting.

 

[nommy the first]

I always have UAC set to the highest settings and have WinPatrol as backup.
Being careful has never hurt anyone


Nommy

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

That is why I have Avast Internet Security running. I also am behind a Nat Router.

As good as AVAST is, something could sneak by, such as a new nasty that AVAST hasn't written a definition for yet. Keep in mind that AVs, etc. are more retroactive than proactive; they mostly respond to known nasties. If set correctly, UAC will alert you every time a process is being started so it will be difficult to impossible for a nasty to start a process without your knowledge as long as you allow UAC to do its thing and you take the extra second to read the popup before clicking on it.

I have never had a malware problem, I have never gotten a virus. I have a Firewall (not Windows). I just do not need a machine to do the thinking for me and tell me if it is OK to install this or that, BTW AIS has an auto sandbox which basically does the same thing.

Famous last words.

 

[Stephanie]

I always have UAC set to the highest settings and have WinPatrol as backup.
Being careful has never hurt anyone


Nommy

, Scotty is watching my system as well

 

[mitchell65]

This is turning into a most interesting thread. I am keeping a tally and will let the thread go until Friday and then post the tally. Looks very interesting so far but it would be good to get plenty more posts so that the final picture is more representative.
Thanks to all who have posted so far!

 

[UsernameIssues]

This is turning into a most interesting thread. I am keeping a tally and will let the thread go until Friday and then post the tally. Looks very interesting so far but it would be good to get plenty more posts so that the final picture is more representative.
Thanks to all who have posted so far!

...and thanks for bringing up the topic. I too find it interesting and have been pleased that the discussion has stayed so civil.

BTW, I'm not attempting to convince others to use the UAC - I only nag those that I directly support

 

[OldMX]

I use it on max setting.

 

[Andreas W]

Reading all the posts and I have to say that UAC is disabled on my computer, because of the sole reason it is quite annoying, my age 25. I don't know if I am doing anything bad or good but I am the only user of my computer, I never click on any link without checking where it is going first. I use adblock plugins for IE10, never click on any flash related ad on any sites, I also try to keep my installed programs to a minimum and regularly check my task manger and by now I have pretty much remembered all my trusted processes and I do notice if there is a process I don't recognize which rarely happens, I have tried with or without AV. one time I switched AV every 3 months or so because none of them never said anything after that I went without one for quite some time now trying the pro version of malwarebytes which I am considering buying.

So if I do have virus on my computer they are pretty damn stealthy.

 

[mitchell65]

Reading all the posts and I have to say that UAC is disabled on my computer, because of the sole reason it is quite annoying, my age 25. I don't know if I am doing anything bad or good but I am the only user of my computer, I never click on any link without checking where it is going first. I use adblock plugins for IE10, never click on any flash related ad on any sites, I also try to keep my installed programs to a minimum and regularly check my task manger and by now I have pretty much remembered all my trusted processes and I do notice if there is a process I don't recognize which rarely happens, I have tried with or without AV. one time I switched AV every 3 months or so because none of them never said anything after that I went without one for quite some time now trying the pro version of malwarebytes which I am considering buying.

So if I do have virus on my computer they are pretty damn stealthy.

The fact that you say " I don't know if I am doing anything bad or good" suggests that you are taking a bit of a risk in my view. If you were asking for advice mine would be to set UAC to at least the default level. Read through the posts on this thread from the start to get other opinions. I would maintain that it is better to be safe than sorry. Stick to one A/V, my choice would be Microsoft Security Essentials!

 

[UsernameIssues]

....I have tried with or without AV. one time I switched AV every 3 months or so because none of them never said anything after that I went without one for quite some time now trying the pro version of malwarebytes which I am considering buying.

So if I do have virus on my computer they are pretty damn stealthy.

Sadly, a number of infections are quite stealthy. Anyway, you might be interested in this thread:
http://www.sevenforums.com/system-security/292309-anti-viruses-total-waste-time.html

 

[derekimo]

This is turning into a most interesting thread. I am keeping a tally and will let the thread go until Friday and then post the tally. Looks very interesting so far but it would be good to get plenty more posts so that the final picture is more representative.
Thanks to all who have posted so far!

You could add a poll to the thread.