Admin access to a specific app - no pc admins due to security

Question

Out of necessity running legacy apps on windows 7 enterprise.

I recall there is a way to grant a user admin control over a specific program, but cannot recall the add-in or control method to do so. I'm unable to create task as it ties in to admin and password cycle on a regular basis. The user cannot be granted admin over the pc due to security. Please advise if there is a way to grant as requested on demand

Answer 1

To grant a user administrative control over a specific application without giving them full administrative access to the PC, you can consider using the following methods:

1. Run as Administrator: You can right-click the application and select Run as administrator. If the user is not an administrator, they will need to enter an administrator's credentials. This method is straightforward but requires admin credentials each time.
2. Task Scheduler: Although you mentioned you cannot create tasks due to admin and password cycles, using Task Scheduler to create a task that runs the application with elevated privileges might be an option. You can set the task to run whether the user is logged on or not and configure it to run with the highest privileges. However, this still requires initial setup by an admin.
3. Application Compatibility Settings: For legacy applications, you might also explore compatibility settings. Right-click the application, go to Properties, and under the Compatibility tab, you can set it to run in compatibility mode for an earlier version of Windows. This doesn’t grant admin rights but might help with running the app smoothly.
4. Group Policy: If you are in a domain environment, you can use Group Policy to configure specific permissions for users on certain applications. This would require administrative setup but can provide a more permanent solution.
5. Third-party Tools: There are third-party tools that can allow you to run applications with elevated permissions without needing to enter admin credentials every time. However, you should evaluate the security implications of using such tools in your environment.

It’s important to weigh the security risks of granting elevated permissions to specific applications against the operational needs of the users.

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References:

• User Account Control overview
• User Account Control Overview