Running Windows 2000 as an administrator

[whiteyes]

Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
Version: 5.00.2195 Service Pack 4
____________________

I read this on a Microsoft page.
"....Running Windows 2000 as an administrator makes the system
vulnerable to Trojan horses and other security risks.
The simple act of visiting an Internet site can be
extremely damaging to the system.
An unfamiliar Internet site may have Trojan horse
code that can be downloaded to the system and executed.
If you are logged on with administrator privileges,
a Trojan horse could do things like reformat your hard drive,
delete all your files, create a
new user account with administrative access, and so on.
You should add yourself to the
users or power users group..."

I am the only user of this machine.
Currently my profile ( which I logon to virtually all the time )
is set to Administrators.
I have Norton Internet Security and Norton Anti Virus
enabled.
In 5 months no virus, no trojans but when
I read the above, yesterday, I wonder....

Is setting my profile to the
users or power users group really necessary?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
Version: 5.00.2195 Service Pack 4
____________________

I read this on a Microsoft page.
"....Running Windows 2000 as an administrator makes the system
vulnerable to Trojan horses and other security risks.
The simple act of visiting an Internet site can be
extremely damaging to the system.
An unfamiliar Internet site may have Trojan horse
code that can be downloaded to the system and executed.
If you are logged on with administrator privileges,
a Trojan horse could do things like reformat your hard drive,
delete all your files, create a
new user account with administrative access, and so on.
You should add yourself to the
users or power users group..."

I am the only user of this machine.
Currently my profile ( which I logon to virtually all the time )
is set to Administrators.
I have Norton Internet Security and Norton Anti Virus
enabled.
In 5 months no virus, no trojans but when
I read the above, yesterday, I wonder....

Is setting my profile to the
users or power users group really necessary?

The Microsoft item says it quite clearly: You are much more
vulnerable while logged on as administrator. It is up to you if
you want to take this risk. Microsoft do, of course, assume
a worst-case scenario so that they cannot be accused of not
warning their customers.

 

[whiteyes]

Thankyou ( again ) Pegasus,

I have set my account to Power User
to be on the safe side... )
-----
whiteyes
-------------------------------------------------


|
| | >
| > Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
| > Version: 5.00.2195 Service Pack 4
| > ____________________
| >
| > I read this on a Microsoft page.
| > "....Running Windows 2000 as an administrator makes the system
| > vulnerable to Trojan horses and other security risks.
| > The simple act of visiting an Internet site can be
| > extremely damaging to the system.
| > An unfamiliar Internet site may have Trojan horse
| > code that can be downloaded to the system and executed.
| > If you are logged on with administrator privileges,
| > a Trojan horse could do things like reformat your hard drive,
| > delete all your files, create a
| > new user account with administrative access, and so on.
| > You should add yourself to the
| > users or power users group..."
| >
| > I am the only user of this machine.
| > Currently my profile ( which I logon to virtually all the time )
| > is set to Administrators.
| > I have Norton Internet Security and Norton Anti Virus
| > enabled.
| > In 5 months no virus, no trojans but when
| > I read the above, yesterday, I wonder....
| >
| > Is setting my profile to the
| > users or power users group really necessary?
| > --
| > Any help or advice appreciated.
| > whiteyes
|
| The Microsoft item says it quite clearly: You are much more
| vulnerable while logged on as administrator. It is up to you if
| you want to take this risk. Microsoft do, of course, assume
| a worst-case scenario so that they cannot be accused of not
| warning their customers.
|
|