Windows 10: Windows 11's Administrator Protection improves security but may get on your nerves quickly

Remember when Microsoft introduced the user account control in Windows? Designed to improve security, it threw new prompts at users for certain actions. It irritated some users that much that they found ways to turn off the entire UAC system on their Windows devices or make it less frustrating.

Administrator Protection, a new security feature of Windows, could be the next security feature that could be getting on the nerves of users.

Broken down to its core, Administrator Protection asks for authorization whenever tasks require administrator privileges. Think installation of certain software, modifying some Windows settings, editing the Windows Registry, or making other changes to the Windows device that require elevation.

Whenever such a task is started, Windows Security pops up asking for verification. You need to verify the action, e.g., by entering your PIN or using biometric authentication, before it is executed on the Windows machine.

The visible process makes just half of the Administrator Protection feature. When a Windows user signs in to the system, they are assigned a deprivileged user token automatically. Windows will then request authorization for tasks that need elevated rights. The verification happens via Windows Security. Once done, Windows generates an isolated admin token using a "hidden, system-generated, profile-separated user account", writes Microsoft on its Tech Community website.

The token is used only for that specific process and destroyed automatically when it ends. So, when you type regedit in Start, you will get the authorization prompt before the Registry Editor is opened. Once you close the window, the authorization token is destroyed, so that "admin privileges do not persist" anymore on the system.

The whole process is repeated whenever a process or task requires elevation.

Microsoft claims that this new security feature has several benefits over the current system:

• Protects Windows users from making accidental changes or changes by malware.
• Raises users awareness.
• Users are always in control.
• Reduction of malware.

The main gain is that there is no auto-elevation anymore when Administrator Protection is enabled. When a task requires elevation currently on Windows devices, an UAC prompt is displayed offering a simple Yes or No option to deal with it. It requires no password prompt and malware may exploit elevated sessions or always-on admin modes.

The new security feature may improve security, provided that Windows users do not blindly authorize anything on their screens. The main downside is that prompts may be more frequent, which can get annoying after a while.

However, Administrator Protection is not enabled by default, at least not at this stage. This means that users or system administrators will have to enable the feature before it becomes active.

Home administrators need to weight the advantages and disadvantages of the new system. Depending on how Microsoft advertises the system, many may not even know that it exists.

How to configure Administrator Protection in Windows 11




Here is how you configure it in Group Policy (Settings coming at a later point, according to Microsoft). Note that this only applies to Pro, Education, and Enterprise editions of Windows 11.

1. Open the Start menu.
2. Type gpedit.msc and press the Enter-key.
3. Confirm the UAC prompt.
4. Go to Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > Security Options.
5. Double-click on "User Account Control: Configure type of Admin Approval Mode".
6. Set it to "Admin Approval Mode with Administrator protection".
7. Close that policy window.
8. Open "User Account Control: Behavior of the elevation prompt for administrators running with Administrator protection" to configure content and credential prompts.
9. The default is "Prompt for credentials on the secure desktop". You may change that to "Prompt for consent on the secure desktop".
10. Close the Group Policy Editor.
11. Restart the PC.

Microsoft has not yet revealed when the new security feature will land in stable versions of Windows. A likely target is the upcoming feature update Windows 11, version 25H2.

Now You: what is your take on Administrator Protection? Will you enable the feature, if it lands on your Windows machine? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

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Windows Security is not accessible in Windows 11 Home

I recently encountered an error and am unable to access Windows Security after resetting the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 Laptop. When opening Windows Security, the app window is blank. When attempting the same with Virus & Threat Protection, I receive an error: 'Page not found - Your IT administrator has limited access to some areas of this app, and the item you tried to access is not available. Contact the IT helpdesk for more information.

I checked the "C:\Windows\System32" path and its empty. Same for the group policy folder.

I have followed the below steps, however i am still stuck with the same issue,

1. Run SFC and DISM
   
2. Repair & Reset Windows Security
   
3. Restart Windows Security Service ( unable to restart, option is greyed out)
   
4. Check your Date and Time settings
   
5. Turn on Virus and threat protection settings ( can't access. Page not found error)
   
6. Turn on Real-time protection ( same issue as above, it isn't available)
   
7. Uninstall any other third-party antivirus (removed mcAfee that came with Laptop)
   
8. Fix: Windows Security Virus & Threat Protection missing using Local Group Policy Editor
   
   1. Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows components\Windows Security\Virus and threat protection
      
   2. Select “Not Configured” or Disabled to show the Virus & threat protection in Windows Security.
      
9. Using Registry Editor
   
   1. Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Defender Security Center\Virus and threat protection
      
   2. Set the value to 0 to show. Or you can also delete “UILockdown” to show the Virus and threat protection.
      
10. Use PowerShell
    
    1. Set-MpPreference -UILockdown 0
       
11. Reset PC (Clean install) but no success)
    
12. Install all updates (No Success)
    

This is a brand-new laptop, and Windows 11 is already causing issues. Please help because it seems the virus protection is not working; on startup, I receive a notification to turn on virus protection.

 

Clear Windows Security Center (Defender) Protection History

Did not work for me. After going through all steps I still have protection history full

 

realtime protection is not turning on

Ok. Pls perform the steps suggested in this thread.. see the accepted answer.

• https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-security/microsoft-defender-problem/6161dce4-e90e-4399-8d38-f97cff38945b
  

• Cannot Turn on windows defender real time protection Window 11 ? - Microsoft Community