User Account Control (UAC) is a security feature in Windows operating systems designed to prevent unauthorized changes to the system. It prompts users for permission or administrative credentials before allowing certain actions that could affect system settings or security.

How UAC Works

UAC helps limit the actions of software or users with lower privileges by requiring administrative approval for tasks that need higher permissions. This reduces the risk of malware or unauthorized users making harmful changes to the system.

UAC Flow:

1. A program tries to perform an action requiring higher permissions.
2. UAC displays a prompt asking the user for permission.
3. If the user grants permission, the program proceeds with the action.
4. If the user denies, the action is blocked.

Benefits of UAC

• Prevents Unauthorized Changes: Helps stop unauthorized software from modifying system settings or files.
• Limits Malware Impact: Reduces the chance of malware gaining administrative privileges to affect the system.
• Encourages User Awareness: Prompts users to be more cautious when installing software or changing settings.

UAC Prompt Levels

UAC has different levels that control when and how users are prompted for permission. These levels adjust the balance between security and convenience.

UAC Level	Description
Always Notify	Prompts every time a program tries to make changes.
Notify me only when programs try to make changes	Prompts for permission only when a program requires elevated rights.
Never Notify	Disables UAC prompts (least secure option).

UAC vs. Traditional User Permissions

UAC differs from traditional user permissions by adding an extra layer of security, ensuring that administrative actions require user confirmation, even if the user has administrative privileges.

Feature	UAC	Traditional User Permissions
Security	Adds an additional security prompt	Admin privileges allow automatic changes
User Awareness	Increases awareness with prompts	No user prompts for privileged actions
Prevention of Unauthorized Changes	Blocks unauthorized changes by default	Allows changes without confirmation