Question “Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?”

[Oblivion77]

Hello everyone!

I use Windows 10 home

Whenever I install some new software, the window appears, where I get asked the following:
“Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?”

1)
Where can I see a list, with all the apps that has been granted access?

2)
What parts of my system does the app get access to?

3)
The whole drive with all my data?

Thank you in advance for replying

Best regards

 

[pctech2005]

This is called "User Account Control" . It is a security feature designed to prevent potentially malicious software from installing without your consent.

 

[Darkbreeze]

If you are TRYING to install new software, then you simply want to approve it, and say yes. There is no need to see the details of what you are giving permissions for and if you have to ask the question you wouldn't understand the very in depth permission information afforded by the group policy editor anyhow. Suffice to say that if it is ASKING for permission, and if it is something you are ACTIVELY TRYING to install, then it's probably just as safe as any other software you have installed.

If however you are NOT trying to install something at that time and you see that message, THEN you want to decline it and say no. After which it would probably be a good idea to run a full malware scan.

The reason it asks you for permission is because many applications can't do what they are supposed to do without having access to OTHER applications on your system. If you are installing something that you feel you can't trust to have access to the other applications on your system, then you should not be installing that, whatever it is. You either trust that the application is legitimate or you don't. Simple as that.

 

[Oblivion77]

Thanks both for your explanations. I have only installed trusted software.

I still would really much like to get answers for my questions:


1)
Where can I see a list, with all the apps that has been granted access?

2)
What parts of my system does the app get access to?

3)
The whole drive with all my data?

4)
For how long is the granted access valid?
Until the software has been installed?
Until restart of my PC?

Thanks in advance

 

[Darkbreeze]

You can get all that information through the group policy editor, but I warn you, it's not easily understood by most people AND it's incredibly easy to completely bork your system up in there. I recommend you simply leave off worrying about it, because, no offense at all to you or your reasons for wanting to know this, if you have to ask you probably aren't technically knowledgeable enough to be playing around in there. Again, and make no mistake, you can easily make Windows completely unusable in group policy editor so you muck about in there at your own risk.

Windows Group Policy: What Is It and How to Use It

Wondering what Group Policy is or how to access the Group Policy Editor? Here's an overview of this important Windows feature.

www.makeuseof.com

Group Policy Editor Guide: Access Options and How to Use

Group Policy Editor (gpedit) is an important part of the Active Directory system administrator’s toolkit. Read this blog for more details about gpedit.

www.varonis.com

Group policy app permissions

https://www.lepide.com/how-to/assign-permissions-to-files-folders-through-group-policy.html

While none of that is EXACTLY specific to your question, it SHOULD however get you into the right direction for finding the answer yourself, with minimal exertion.

 

[USAFRet]

I still would really much like to get answers for my questions:

1. What did the application ask for?
2. What did the application ask for?
3. No, unless it is a malicious application.
4. For as long as you have and use that application.

 

[Oblivion77]

You can get all that information through the group policy editor, but I warn you, it's not easily understood by most people AND it's incredibly easy to completely bork your system up in there. I recommend you simply leave off worrying about it, because, no offense at all to you or your reasons for wanting to know this, if you have to ask you probably aren't technically knowledgeable enough to be playing around in there. Again, and make no mistake, you can easily make Windows completely unusable in group policy editor so you muck about in there at your own risk.

Windows Group Policy: What Is It and How to Use It

Wondering what Group Policy is or how to access the Group Policy Editor? Here's an overview of this important Windows feature.

www.makeuseof.com

Group Policy Editor Guide: Access Options and How to Use

Group Policy Editor (gpedit) is an important part of the Active Directory system administrator’s toolkit. Read this blog for more details about gpedit.

www.varonis.com

Group policy app permissions

https://www.lepide.com/how-to/assign-permissions-to-files-folders-through-group-policy.html

While none of that is EXACTLY specific to your question, it SHOULD however get you into the right direction for finding the answer yourself, with minimal exertion.

Thank you for a good idea

I will take your advice and not dig into that, my IT skills it not on that level

 

[Oblivion77]

1. What did the application ask for?
2. What did the application ask for?
3. No, unless it is a malicious application.
4. For as long as you have and use that application.

I have installed:
Authentic games (acknowledged titles and not pirated)
AVG and Malwarebytes
Acknowledged software for recreating deleted data

It is when I install the software, that this similiar window appears:
https://windowsscreensavers.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/usa-install-screen-saver.png

Will the App only get acccess to its install destinanation folder then?

If ANY software tries to install (malicious), will this window asking for permission get triggered?

 

[USAFRet]

I have installed:
Authentic games (acknowledged titles and not pirated)
AVG and Malwarebytes
Acknowledged software for recreating deleted data

It is when I install the software, that this similiar window appears:
https://windowsscreensavers.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/usa-install-screen-saver.png

Will the App only get acccess to its install destinanation folder then?

If ANY software tries to install (malicious), will this window asking for permission get triggered?

It will install to whatever folder it goes to.
It may, however, access all sorts of other things.

This is where YOU have to be proactive and know what it might be doing. Screensavers are especially a good conduit for malware.

 

[Oblivion77]

It will install to whatever folder it goes to.
It may, however, access all sorts of other things.

This is where YOU have to be proactive and know what it might be doing. Screensavers are especially a good conduit for malware.

Would you be concerned about, that the software I mentioned:
Authentic games (acknowledged titles and not pirated)
AVG and Malwarebytes
EaseUS Data Recovery and Piriform Recuva

That they in any was accessed something they should not, or in any way uploaded any data that was not part of their function?

Maybe I should just contact the individual installed software creator?

I have never experienced the window getting triggered, unless myself did so. I have never installed any screensavers.

 

[USAFRet]

A cute puppy screensaver?
Well...I wouldn't.

The other things, as long as you got them from the actual publisher, no problem.

That popup is specifically to provide a breakpoint. To disallow something installing all by itself.
If you download and you allow, and then some infection happens....you can't fall back on "well, it just happened".

Be cognizant of what you're doing on the system, and where you get your data from.

 

[Oblivion77]

To try to sum up my concern.
I have some folders containing private files (not anything shady etc.), pictures of my newborn child etc.

How can I surely find out, that no "shady" software has acccess to my personal folders, and that it has not uploaded the content of these folders without my knowledge?

How would you approach this?

Thanks again for your help

Best regards

 

[USAFRet]

To try to sum up my concern.
I have some folders containing private files (not anything shady etc.), pictures of my newborn child etc.

How can I surely find out, that no "shady" software has acccess to my personal folders, and that it has not uploaded the content of these folders without my knowledge?

How would you approach this?

Thanks again for your help

Best regards

Depends on the device, the application, and what it is asking for.

An app that wants to catalog your Pictures folder...well, that is what it is going to do.
A trusted app on a phone or tablet that is for measuring sound level will need to access the mic. But not your pictures folder.
An app from a weird publisher that want to measure sound level may ask for access to your mic, and under the bale access your picture folder.

Solution: Don't install shady crap.

 

[Oblivion77]

Depends on the device, the application, and what it is asking for.

An app that wants to catalog your Pictures folder...well, that is what it is going to do.
A trusted app on a phone or tablet that is for measuring sound level will need to access the mic. But not your pictures folder.
An app from a weird publisher that want to measure sound level may ask for access to your mic, and under the bale access your picture folder.

Solution: Don't install shady crap.

Good examples

But is there a way, to find out, what content / folders the apps has been granted access to in the past?

By activating the program / .exe file, when the UAC window appears, read in "Show more information", is this the only way to find out, what the app is gettting access to?
And what should I look for here?

Thanks again for your help!