Purpose: Preventing Unauthorized Changes to Your Computer

One of the most common ways that malware and viruses cause damage is by making changes to your computer without your permission. User Account Control (UAC) is a critical, built-in Windows security feature that acts as a final checkpoint, asking for your approval before any program can make important changes.

This health check verifies that this essential security checkpoint is active and configured correctly.

How it Works: The “Are You Sure?” Doorman

Think of UAC as a conscientious doorman for your computer.

• When you or a program tries to do something significant—like install new software, change a security setting, or modify a core system file—the doorman steps in.
• It temporarily pauses everything and asks: “A program is trying to make major changes. Are you sure you want to allow this?”

This simple pause is incredibly powerful. It’s your opportunity to stop a malicious program in its tracks before it can take control of your system. If you didn’t intentionally start the action, you can simply click “No.”

Our health check verifies that this doorman is on duty and hasn’t been told to “just let everyone in without asking.”

What Your Results Mean

This is a fundamental security setting that protects the integrity of your computer.

Status	What It Means	What To Do
Protected(Pass)	Your security checkpoint is active. UAC is enabled and will prompt you for approval before significant changes are made to your computer.	No action is required. Your system is configured securely.
At Risk(Warning)	Your doorman is letting everyone in. This means UAC is technically on but is configured to “Never Notify.” It allows all changes without asking for your permission, which defeats its entire purpose.	This is a security risk.  Please contact the IT Help Desk so we can restore this vital security prompt.
Exposed(Fail)	The doorman has been fired. UAC has been completely disabled. Any program, including malware, can make any change it wants to your computer without any warning or approval.	This is a top priority security risk. Please contact the IT Help Desk IMMEDIATELY. Your device is highly vulnerable to compromise.

Frequently Asked Questions

Those pop-ups are annoying. Why can’t I just turn them off?

• That pop-up is your most important moment of defense. While it can seem like an interruption, it’s the feature that prevents a malicious email attachment or website from silently installing ransomware or spyware. The brief moment of inconvenience is a massive security benefit.

How is this different from my antivirus?

• Your antivirus looks for programs that are known to be bad. UAC protects you from the actions of any program, even ones that seem legitimate. If a seemingly safe program suddenly tries to change a core security setting, UAC will stop it and ask you first.

Did I do something wrong to disable it?

• It’s unlikely. Sometimes, the installation of other applications (especially older ones) can change this setting without your knowledge. This check is designed to find and fix these configuration errors.