3 ms·

The exploit under discussion is an attack on Windows Update, it doesn't AFAICT involved running privileged code as the user. Also the default Windows user has

by ajross 2y ago

The exploit under discussion is an attack on Windows Update, it doesn't AFAICT involved running privileged code as the user. Also the default Windows user has been non-Administrator for many years now. It's true you can fool users into elevating a shell or whatever, but that's true for pretty much all platforms.

ethbr1 2y ago
I'm happy to complain about Windows, but I will say their progress in converting their ecosystem to user-by-default with elevation prompt warnings has been impressive. Especially when they had to drag their developer community kicking and screaming to it. (in Windows Vista ~2006) Afaicr, there's also a neat bit where the lock screen and UAC prompt actually run under an entirely different, privileged and restricted session (than the normal one the user is interacting with and running programs in). Ref: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/application-security/application-control/user-account-control/how-it-works#securing-the-elevation-prompt https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/applicati... Apparently now termed the "secure desktop", it's transparently overlaid on top of the user desktop whenever you see a prompt.
- dimensi0nal 2y ago
  It's not a transparent overlay, it's a completely separate desktop with a screenshot of the user desktop as its background. Really clever.
  - wongogue 2y ago
    And 50% of the times, the background fails to load and I have to double check. At first I thought it may be my specfic hardware combo but no.
  - magicalhippo 2y ago
    And that the desktops are securable objects[1], so processes in the default desktop can't snoop on what's going on in the winlogon desktop say when the UAC prompt is shown. [1]: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/winstation/desktops https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/winstation/d...

by ajross 2y ago

ethbr1 2y ago

I'm happy to complain about Windows, but I will say their progress in converting their ecosystem to user-by-default with elevation prompt warnings has been impressive. Especially when they had to drag their developer community kicking and screaming to it. (in Windows Vista ~2006) Afaicr, there's also a neat bit where the lock screen and UAC prompt actually run under an entirely different, privileged and restricted session (than the normal one the user is interacting with and running programs in). Ref: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/application-security/application-control/user-account-control/how-it-works#securing-the-elevation-prompt https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/applicati... Apparently now termed the "secure desktop", it's transparently overlaid on top of the user desktop whenever you see a prompt.

dimensi0nal 2y ago
It's not a transparent overlay, it's a completely separate desktop with a screenshot of the user desktop as its background. Really clever.
- wongogue 2y ago
  And 50% of the times, the background fails to load and I have to double check. At first I thought it may be my specfic hardware combo but no.
- magicalhippo 2y ago
  And that the desktops are securable objects[1], so processes in the default desktop can't snoop on what's going on in the winlogon desktop say when the UAC prompt is shown. [1]: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/winstation/desktops https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/winstation/d...