Windows 10: Is a standard user account necessary for tight security and home user?

I wonder if my issue could be that the users folder is "shared"

I've found some information and uploaded some screenshots. I haven't applied the changes yet as I'll wait for another opinion even though it seems like a likely possibility...

Windows 7 File Sharing: Fixing the “Entire User Directory Shared” Problem

 

That sounds like the problem. Normally, you wouldn't share the entire users folder. *Sad

 

I have to wonder if when I created a homegroup for testing purposes that it set the permissions as I at no time recall setting this manually... I removed the homegroup at the same time.

Now it's a matter of working out how to set this all back to normal as there are a multitude of places to edit the permissions within the user folder properties...

 

Was I by any chance meant to install the subinacl tool to C:\Windows\System32?

There are similar instructions here: How to reset all user permissions to default?

 

What sort of problems might you encounter with your admin account? Is the idea of having the backup admin account that if your primary one broke it might lock you out of your computer?

 

Hi,

No. If you change the installation destination folder then the batch file needs to be edited accordingly.

Have you removed the share from the "users" folder ?

Cheers, *Wink

 

Ok.

No because I'm unsure about from where exactly to do it. You've got options to make permission changes from the "Sharing" or the "security" tabs. Not knowing why my permissions have ended up this way in the first place I'm quite confused and worried that if change something incorrectly that it will either break something or defeat the purpose of creating a standard user account for another layer of security in the first place.

Interestingly our laptop has the same issue so I can't help but think that this was caused by the creation of a Homegroup? I've also noticed that the laptop is using a Public network so how it could connect to a Homegroup in the first place I didn't think that was possible?

It's possible these "shared" permissions are affecting other folders as well. Should the standard user be able to access the Windows folder?

 

Is there anything around that details what the default permissions should be for a standard user?

 

Could this be the solution?

Windows 7 File Sharing: Fixing the s Tech.Info

 

As far as I can tell the "Users" folder is the only folder that is being "shared" and has been affected. As per the following screens, these windows come from the "Sharing" tab - "Advanced Sharing" in the "Users" folder properties not the "Security" tab.

I'm guessing that I will remove all of the "Allow" permissions for "Everyone" and then untick the "Share this folder".

 

Honestly, this is a sketchy area for me, so I will bow out, in the hopes that someone else well-versed in this can chime in.

 

That's OK. There's actually not a lot of info regarding this anywhere and seems to be something a lot of people aren't certain on. *Sad

According to the links I've posted, Win 7 had an issue where in if you created a Homegroup or set up Public sharing the Users folder was automatically fully shared and if you removed the Homegroup the Users folder remained shared. Maybe Win 10 has inherited the same issue?

At this stage I'm only guessing that a Homegroup creation has set this up but it's the only thing that seems feasible.

 

You could be right.

 

Guys are you sure the default administrator account can be converted to a standard account? I just have this that I'll
quote:

"I'm not sure what best practices you've been reading, but unless something drastic changed in Windows 10 that I missed, the built-in administrator account (the one with a RID/SID ending in -500), can not be changed to a "standard user" account. It will always have administrative permissions."


If it did continue to have administrative permissions I wouldn't be getting prompted for the admin password would I?


Edit: I think he his referring to the "built in administrator" account, the one that you have to activate AFAIK.

 

Would you guys mind sharing what your permissions are for the users folder?

Do you have a "Everyone" listed on the security tab?

Under the sharing tab - advanced sharing do you have a tick in the "Share this folder" box?