12Ghosts Silencer

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12Ghosts Silencer

Disable Secure Desktop

The UAC prompt appears on a separate desktop, that only the user has access to. A malicious program cannot interferr with the secure desktop. So this is an additional layer of security.

On the other hand, many people find it disturbing. The screen goes dark or is dimmed and the prompt appears only after a short delay. Updating your graphics driver may help sometimes. But one thing's for sure, it is better to keep UAC on, and only turn off the secure desktop switch! Please see the following FAQ for more information.

FAQ

Isn't this less secure?

There is a lot of discussion going on about this topic and we sure can't answer this concludingly. Fact is, only the user can access the Secure Desktop, not any program (malware). On the other hand, the UAC prompt appears in an elevated window which cannot be controlled from non-elevated programs. For example, sending key strokes to the UAC prompt is not possible, even on the normal desktop. (You can try with 12-WinControl.)

This depends on the graphics driver?

Indeed, if you use UAC on a fresh installation of Windows Vista, with the default graphics driver, 800x600, Aero turned off, you won't see any flicker or delay, whatsoever. On a large screen and with Aero turned on, the switch may take a few seconds (which is probably not what the developers had in mind).

What is the "black screen of death"?

Apparently depending on the graphics driver, switching to the secure desktop may not finish and thus leave you with a completely black screen. You may still press ALT+C (or ESC) into the dark. However, that would demolish the idea of switching, in the first place, because you don't even see what you confirm.

If you encounter such a black screen, first try to update your graphics driver. If that doesn't help, turning off the Secure Desktop switch is a viable solution.

Isn't switching to the secure destkop a way for the user to know that the prompt really is from the system (and not from a fake dialog box)?

No, if a program can fake a dialog box, it may as well fake a desktop switch and dimm the screen. Don't confirm UAC prompts unless you have just started exactly that program. Period. Pay even more attention if you are asked for a password.

The one thing that would really help is a user-defined picture, or a text, or a pattern, that only the system has access to. When you see "your" picture you know immediately that this is a prompt from the system. Alas, as phishing becomes more and more of a problem, this may be a good enhancement for the next service pack of Windows.

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