Re: PgSQL not as Administrator - probs on w

I recently had to run MS Baseline Security analyzer :

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/tools/mbsahome.mspx

on a default SQL Server installation. It was interesting that it 
produced security alerts about the (default) installation I had 
performed using a system account :

- server run using LocalSystem , recommend running as an unprivileged 
account

Of course most folks will either a) not run this tool, or b) ignore the 
warning, but if the MS keep getting hammered on the security front, they 
too may well adopt the "won't run if I am an admin" stance in order to 
prevent Gartner recommending punters away from SQL Server (like they did 
with IIS).

There are signs that the previous Windows paradigm of "security 
sacrificed on the alter of user convenience" is drawing to a close (e.g. 
in Win 2003 default permissions have been altered *away* from "world 
writable/sharable for everything")

You are right - it is going to annoy many users. However there is 
another way of seeing this. Postgres is on the leading edge for 
increasing security awareness on the windows platform, and boy is there 
a need for that!

regards

Mark

Steve Tibbett wrote:

> It is normal on Windows for users to have admin rights on the local
>
>system.  As much as this needs to be changed, you're not going to
>change it.  If you insist on not running on an account with admin
>rights, you're just going to frustrate users
>
>You could say "Windows is inherently insecure; refusing to run".  That
>would make the port much simpler.  :)
>
>A warning is appropriate I think.. but refusing to run is going
>overboard.  Just my two cents.
>
>--
>Steve Tibbett
>[email protected]
>
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