Windows Server® 2012 Unleashed

Using Administration-Only Accounts with Run As

High-privilege administration accounts represent a security challenge. The use of these accounts as primary network accounts for routine tasks and workstation login greatly increases the challenge. The potential damage of an administrator making a mistake while performing routine tasks or of an intruder gaining access to a system with administrative credentials that was left unattended can be significant.

For this reason, it is wise to consider a logon strategy that incorporates the Run as Different User and Run as Administrator commands that are embedded in Windows Server 2012. Essentially, this means that all users, including IT staff, log on with restricted, standard user accounts. When administrative ...