How do I get past Windows Vista security?

Question

Is there a way to get my .exe file to execute with administrator rights instead of me killing the LUA at registry or right click file and running as administrator?

When I alter the registry it prompts the user which I don't want. I am only adding the file to kill the LUA to give the user full rights to execute my .exe file.

If I can just get it to execute as administrator it would save me editing the registry. I can't find the source code for the application. It is coded in Delphi so it is a problem to add anything and the .reg file needs to be run with the .exe files on Windows Vista.

How can this issue be resolved?

Answer 1

You can't. If you could do it, any exe could to it and that would defeat the purpose of the UAC (assuming arguendo you believe there is a purpose for UAC). You can manifest your exe to require administrator privileges, but that will not stop the user prompt.

Answer 2

I'm not able to test this since I've only got XP with me at the moment...

Try creating a batch file with the runas command in it.

Note that the password will still need to be entered but it may save a couple steps.

Answer 3

If you just want to avoid the right-click and run as admin you can rename the exe to something like xyzSetup.exe.

There is (hopefully) no way that you can bypass the prompt, otherwise anyone can do it.

Answer 4

There are two proper ways to do this:

1. As already noted mark your exe as requiring elevated privilleges - the user will be prompted when starting your program, administrator privilleges and user confirmation are required.

2. Create a service running as LocalSystem that is allowed to do anything without prompting the user. In this case you have to implement interprocess communication mechanism for the service to communicate with user UI program, which may not be trivial. For this scenario your program has to be installed by administrator, but after that may be used by anyone - this is common for corporate scenarios.

Generally speaking Vista compatibility may not be easy to achieve and depending on your software may require a lot of work.

Answer 5

If you are just trying to avoid repeated prompts and don't mind being asked for the password or permission once, you could use runas with the /savecred option.

Answer 6

As I wrote in another question ( http://stackoverflow.com/questions/852867/disable-vista-uac-per-application-or-elevate-privileges-without-prompt/852895#852895 )

Generally this problem solved by installing a Windows Service which runs as SYSTEM or an admin account. Then your application can request the privileged action from this service.

Obviously to not pose a security threat ensure that your service can't run arbitrary code or something which might leave the all users vulnerable to privilege escalation attacks.

Winpcap and most of the other sniffing applications use a similar design to give sniffing access to unprivileged users.

Install your service during the first run (or in the installer, which will require UAC prompt).

Answer 7

Generally this problem is solved by installing a Windows service which runs as SYSTEM or an administrator account. Then your application can request the privileged action from this service.

Obviously to not pose a security threat ensure that your service can't run arbitrary code or something which might leave the all users vulnerable to privilege escalation attacks.

WinPcap and most of the other sniffing applications use a similar design to give sniffing access to unprivileged users.

Install your service during the first run (or in the installer, which will require an UAC prompt).

I will have to read up on this but I don't have access to my source so this would be a problem.