Solved What's this ADMIN account?

I've never seen this before, it's a protected account (access denied unless I allow it)

With that name, I'd say either you created it then forgot about it or somebody else did [computer maker, relative, hacker, ...].

Check the user account actually exists using the cmd
net user

If the user does not exist then I'd guess the computer maker failed to clean up folders fully when setting the computer up before sale. It's been known.


Denis

Or, it's the account from Administrator Protection, since that's exactly how the accounts are named when it's enabled.

pseymour said:

Or, it's the account from Administrator Protection, since that's exactly how the accounts are named when it's enabled.

Click to expand...

You have enabled Account Administrator protection and you've seen that account-naming pattern in use?
So that should set the OP's mind at rest assuming the OP had also enabled Account Administrator protection.
[I did read a couple of the online articles about Account Administrator protection, including your link, but I didn't spot anything about an account-naming pattern.]

Enable or Disable Administrator Protection for Admin Approval Mode - ElevenForumTutorials
I have yet to study the topic properly but, from what I have made out so far,
- enabling Account Administrator protection forces Admins to enter their name & password in UAC-like prompts just like Standard users have always had to do, and
- the default state is Account Administrator protection disabled.
There have been unsubstantiated claims that Admin users can have their UAC permissions bypassed despite having UAC at its highest setting. The introduction of Account Administrator protection makes me think that MS now believe these claims to be true so I'll study the subject properly.


All the best,
Denis

Try3 said:

With that name, I'd say either you created it then forgot about it or somebody else did [computer maker, relative, hacker, ...].

Check the user account actually exists using the cmd
net user

If the user does not exist then I'd guess the computer maker failed to clean up folders fully when setting the computer up before sale. It's been known.


Denis

Click to expand...

It's my PC, a self-build and I installed Windows myself. I rarely check the users folder but saw this today
Looking at other posts it looks like it's from Administrator Protection - I'd previously enabled it using secpol.msc but at the time it had no effect.

The date ties in with the cumulative update that day which is when I started getting prompts to enter my PIN when using regedit, Disk cleanup etc. so the feature must have been activated in that build
I disabled AP again

Brian,

Out of interest, does the Account Administrator protection account [ADMIN_brian] get listed in the response to the net user command?


Denis

Looks like this

Thanks. Knowing that is very helpful.
I had never heard of this subject before seeing your thread today. I'm having to study three other forum threads as well in my efforts to understand the subject.


All the best,
Denis