Use windows as non admin is the security equivalent of using UAC?

Question

If I want to make my Windows more secure, should I use a standard account or UAC will suffice? With UAC I don't need to type passwords to perform admin tasks.

Answer 1

A standard user is a little more secure because they can't perform administrative tasks at all. With UAC, you run very close to that same mode, but it is more convenient to run those administrative tasks as necessary. There may also be things, like modifying some Windows settings, that are not convered by UAC unless you increase it to the maximum level.

You are probably well off with UAC and the default setting, imo.

Answer 2

On Microsoft Technet it says that you should never disable UAC and users should run as standard users...

Users should always run as standard users with the following exceptions:

The user travels frequently and may need to install applications or print drivers while traveling.

The user uses applications that require administrative privilege and that an application compatibility database cannot correct.

Make the primary user account a standard user account. For users who are allowed to perform administrative tasks on their client computers, create a local administrator account for performing those administrative tasks. When a user is logged on as a standard user and attempts to perform an administrative task, the credential prompt is presented. The user must enter an administrator user name and password, and then click Yes to perform the task.

When users are logged on as standard users and need to perform administrative tasks, they can also quickly switch between the two accounts by using the Fast User Switching feature. Fast User Switching is a feature in Windows that allows a user to switch to a different user account without closing programs or files first. The user can quickly transition to the administrator account without disrupting their current activities.

Here is a nice post on Why you should never disable UAC

Bottom line is, if you want to make your Windows more secure leave the UAC enabled and run as a standard user.