Computer Security: Surf the web as a Limited User

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One easy way to make it harder for a virus to get installed unto your computer is to make your account on your computer not the administrator. Only accounts with administrator privileges can install programs on your computer. Therefore, it is much harder to accidentally install unintended programs like spyware or viruses when you are browsing the internet with a limited account.


Please note you will only be able to install programs using the administrater account!!!


Unfortunately for windows this may not be soo easy to do. There are some programs that can only be run as an administrator :( . One trick is the following

1. Right click on the program and select "Run As"
2. A dialog will pop up. Select the user name which is the administrator and the password
3. Click Ok


Setting up your account as a limited account on Windows XP

Create an Admin account by:

1. Go to Start/Control Panel/User Accounts
2. Click "Create Account" and create a userid that has admin priviliges

Make your account Limited by:

3. Click "Change the Account"
4. Select your account
5. Click "Change Account Type"
6. Select "Limited Account"


On the MAC OSX 10

1. Go to Apple/System Preferences/Accounts
2. Click the lock to make changes

Create an Admin account by:

3 Click the "+" to create a new Admin account
4. Click Security and check at the bottom "Allow user to administer account"

Make your account Standard by:

5. Select your account and click on Security
6. At the bottom of the page remove check for "Allow user to administer account"