What Is UAC?

One of the most misunderstood features of the Windows Vista operating system is UAC, or User Account Control. The feature has been much maligned in the press and in Mac TV commercials. However, most of the criticism centers around the consent prompt that Administrators see when they need to elevate their privileges to do something "administrator-ish". There is more than elevation of privileges and consent prompts to UAC, and Standard Users should not encounter the consent prompt. In fact, UAC is not primarily a security feature at all. It has security implications, and it has an impact on security indirectly, but the feature is there to ensure software behaves properly. Take a look at this overview which describes UAC in terms that you can better relate to. Hopefully you'll walk away with a better understanding and you'll be less likely to shoot the proverbial messenger (in this case- UAC). What Is UAC?