Why End-users should not have administrator access

The Importance of Limiting Administrative Access

In today’s day of cyber attacks, viruses, and ransomware, business owners and executives are always asking: What can we do to limit our exposure?

An Industry Standard: Restrict Administrative Access

One of the easiest recommendations we provide—and a widely recognized industry standard—is to never allow end-users to have administrative access to their computers.

Real-World Impacts of Administrative Access

In our over 17 years of being in business, it is really easy for us to pull up thousands of tickets related to viruses, computer slowness, and operating system issues that are a direct result of an end-user having local administrator access to their computer.

Productivity and Cost Implications

Giving users administrative access not only can make your staff less productive, it raises the cost of doing business. Examples include:

• Fixing computer issues caused by unauthorized changes.
• Employee downtime due to system problems.
• Data loss from virus infections.

Risks of Administrator Accounts

Administrator accounts on a computer allow the user to install software, make any change to the system settings, and override local folder permissions. While this might not seem like a big deal at first glance, let’s consider the potential issues:

1. Unauthorized Software Installation

• Leads to non-work-related activities.
• Causes potential computer slowdowns or shutdowns.

1. Unlicensed Software Installation

• Opens your business to hefty fines from software vendors.

1. Execution of Malicious Programs

• Users can unintentionally execute malware, leading to infections that could span many computers on your network.
• These infections are often undetectable by antivirus programs when the user specifically allows them to execute.

1. Data Breaches and Privacy Concerns

• Administrator accounts can be used to access data in other user profiles on shared PCs.
• This poses risks of data breaches and theft.

1. Unfavorable System Changes

• Operating system settings can be altered, intentionally or unintentionally, leading to significant consequences.

The Benefits of Limiting Access

While limiting user access might seem inconvenient for some, mitigating the significant risks and costs associated with running with administrator access is well worth it. When combined with a 24 x 7 helpdesk to provide controlled access and oversight, businesses can ensure that the right components are being installed without compromising security.

The High Cost of Administrator Access Exploitation

We have seen firsthand the devastation that can occur when malware runs with full administrator access. In today’s environment, the cost of such incidents can easily exceed hundreds of thousands of dollars. By restricting administrative access, you take a vital step in protecting your business and its assets.