Disable: 'User Account Control: Behavior of the elevation prompt for standard users' for ConsentPromptBehaviorUser This policy setting controls the behavior of the elevation prompt for standard users. The options are: - Prompt for credentials: When an operation requires elevation of privilege, the user is prompted to enter an administrative user name and password. If the user enters valid credentials, the operation continues with the applicable privilege. - Automatically deny elevation requests: When an operation requires elevation of privilege, a configurable access denied error message is displayed. An enterprise that is running desktops as standard user may choose this setting to reduce help desk calls. - Prompt for credentials on the secure desktop: (Default) When an operation requires elevation of privilege, the user is prompted on the secure desktop to enter a different user name and password. If the user enters valid credentials, the operation continues with the applicable privilege. Note that this option was introduced in Windows 7 and it is not applicable to computers running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008. Counter Measure: Configure the User Account Control: Behavior of the elevation prompt for standard users to Automatically deny elevation requests. This setting will require the user to login with an administrative account to run programs that require elevation of privilege. As a security best practice, standard users should not have knowledge of administrative passwords. However, if your users have both standard and administrator level accounts, then the Prompt for credentials setting is recommended so that the users will not choose to always log in with their administrator accounts and will shift their behavior to using the standard user account. Potential Impact: Users will need to provide administrative passwords to be able to run programs with elevated privileges. This could cause an increased load on IT staff while the programs that are impacted are identified and standard operating procedures are modified to support least privilege operations.

[automatically deny elevation requests/prompt for credentials on the secure desktop/prompt for credentials]

(1) GPO: Computer ConfigurationWindows SettingsSecurity SettingsLocal PoliciesSecurity OptionsUser Account Control: Behavior of the elevation prompt for standard users (2) REG: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesSystemConsentPromptBehaviorUser