I downloaded 4 similar programs for my work laptop. Two of them required an admin username and password to install them, but the other two did not.
Why is that?
In: Technology
Some programs are pretty simple. The .exe or whatever your OS uses is really just some instructions for the computer. If all the program wants to do is show you some calculations and maybe let you save documents, that’s not a big threat to the system. There’s no need to get admin privileges involved.
For security, some other things are “walled off”. If the installer or the program tries to touch them, Windows stops the show and asks you if you intend for that to happen. These things tend to be big resources that affect other programs like the registry. But sometimes programs need to install system software like drivers. These more complicated programs want to integrate more tightly with the OS. To protect itself from malicious software, the OS makes sure to ask your permission first.
It’s kind of cruddy and a bad model. You ran the installer yourself so it’s really likely you wanted it to do whatever it needs.
But it’s there to protect you against something worse. Malicious programs could try to be one of the innocent “I don’t integrate with the OS” kind of programs but secretly run an installer in the background. On older versions of Windows, it’d just happen. You wouldn’t know. And now something potentially malicious has embedded itself in the system. On modern versions, you run what’s supposed to be a calculator and immediately get a warning it’s trying to install things. If you say “no”, game over. (People can still say “yes” and get boned.)
Personally I wish it’d explain more about what the program was trying to do, but alas.
(I accidentally ended up Windows-specific. Apple has similar “walls” around certain things that could let a program do dangerous things. One difference is Apple is a little more granular about what the program is trying to do, so it’ll specifically say, “It wants me to let it see all of your keystrokes, even when you’re using other apps.” For some programs, that can make sense. For others, it tells you something sus is going on.)
Depends where they are installed to.
Most locations outside of your home directory require administrator permissions to write to them.
If there was no administrator required, they were likely installed locally for your user.
The key here is work laptop. Most companies will have white listed certain installations that are common to users and the installation is trusted. If your install isn’t on that list, then an admin is needed for the install to make sure you aren’t trying to install random crap you found on the internet that might contain a virus.
Some programs store stuff in restricted areas that could damage other things, so they need special permission.
Imagine a program that needed to control the Internet line going into the computer. Like Wireshark that can read traffic. Since your bank passwords and such go out over the Internet, you want those secure. Wireshark needs permission from the OS before it’s allowed to play with the big toys.
Meanwhile, most software should only need to play is the safe sandbox where even if they go crazy, they’re not going to damage too much.
Ask your IT department. They may have policies allowing some applications to be installed without admin permissions, others will require it.
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