Microsoft® Windows® XP Networking and Security Inside Out: Also Covers Windows 2000

Following Best Practices for Your Everyday Account

By default, each user account you create during Windows XP setup (as well as those migrated during an upgrade from Windows 98 or Windows Me) becomes a member of the Administrators group. This account assignment is for convenience because administrative privileges are needed to run many programs (particularly older programs that were written without regard for security). But it's definitely not the most secure way to operate, and you should demote all users—yourself included—to less privileged groups if possible. Always running as a computer administrator makes your computer and your network more vulnerable to attacks from viruses and Trojan horses, simply because administrative accounts have all ...