Browsing the Internet while administrator (XP)

[jdean983780]

Hi folks
I recall reading somewhere that going online as the administrator and not as user of my XP based operating system may very well be a unsafe practice.Can anyone comment on this?

And if this is indeed true could you explain how to add all of my settings and customizations to the "user" ID I should create within my computer.

Thank you for any comments or advice in advance
.....Johnny

 

[raybay]

Describe your hardware, configuration, and age of the system... It sounds like you did a simple install and you ended up with one icon on which you can click and that is Administrator ? Right?
Safety to your system with you as the only user isn't much of an issue... you will get a few warnings about it on the bottom of your screen... but you are not at much risk.
It should be simple enough to reformat and run a new install of WXP... with two users.

 

[DelJo63]

While running under the Admin login:

• every process has Admin credentials (gulp!)
• the browser (regardless if which one) then also has Admin credentials

Now with a normal set of browser options (allow javascript, java, activex),
every link you click not only brings a webpage to you, but any kind of virus or trojan
that might be learking in that page.

If you were using an LUA account, the worst that could be done is to contaminate your
%userprofile% area.

With an Admin account, EVERYTHING on the system can be changed if the hacker knows how! - - -
Think of this: MS Update downloads and modifies whatever is needed.
Given an ActiveX and/or a process like Ms AutoUpdate ....

Get the picture?

And if this is indeed true could you explain how to add all of my settings and customizations to the "user" ID I should create within my computer.

Let's get clear on the Admin (mis)use first ....

 

[jdean983780]

Thanks for the explanations
I now understand