Administrator access often starts innocently enough with a single request. An employee needs to install a new printer, update a specialist piece of software, or tweak a system setting. Giving them administrator access gets the job done quickly. The problem? That high-level access usually sticks around long after the original task is finished.
From that point on, the employee has the power to approve other software installations and make system-level changes that would normally require a call to your IT support desk. If they accidentally install a malicious program, or if a cybercriminal takes control of their account, those exact same permissions can be weaponised to change the computer.
For everyday tasks, your team should be using standard accounts. Administrator access must be carefully restricted and saved only for the specific jobs that genuinely require it.
What Administrator Access Actually Allows Someone to Do
An administrator account holds significantly more control over a computer than a standard user account. On Windows, members of the local Administrators group have complete control over the machine’s resources. In fact, Microsoft actively recommends strictly limiting how many users are placed in this group.
Depending on the specific computer and how your network is managed, an administrator can generally:
- Install, update, and remove software.
- Add drivers for new printers and external equipment.
- Create, modify, or delete other user accounts.
- Change critical system settings.
- Alter security permissions on sensitive files and folders.
- Install background services that continue running invisibly.
- Make changes to core security protections.
Mac computers work similarly, featuring both standard and administrator accounts. Apple advises that administrators can install software, manage users, and adjust system settings—and strongly recommends using a standard account for daily use when admin rights aren’t required.
Keep in mind that local administrator access applies specifically to that individual computer. This is entirely different from having administrative access to Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, or your central server, which control company-wide emails and cloud files. An employee might have local admin rights on their laptop without being a Microsoft 365 admin, but both types of access need regular, careful review.
Why Permanent Administrator Access Increases Your Risk
When an employee launches a piece of software, it usually runs using whatever permissions that employee has.
If the software requests administrator approval—and the employee clicks “yes” to approve it—that program suddenly gains the ability to install system components, rewrite settings, or access data belonging to other users.
This becomes a massive problem if someone accidentally downloads a fake installer, opens a harmful email attachment, or downloads a tool from an untrusted website. The employee might genuinely believe they are just approving a routine update, completely unaware they are giving a malicious program permission to change the computer.
Windows uses a feature called User Account Control to ask for permission before making many administrative changes. An employee signed in with an admin account can just click “approve” themselves. A standard user, however, is prompted to enter an administrator’s credentials. Microsoft explicitly states that using a standard account is the recommended and more secure way to operate Windows.
Using standard accounts also restricts how many people can alter security settings without oversight. Because employees can’t just approve every installation on a whim, your IT team gets the chance to verify the software, check where it came from, and review the permissions it is demanding.
Major cybersecurity bodies, including CISA and the Australian Cyber Security Centre, strongly advise businesses to lock down local administrator access, restrict who can install software, and mandate the use of separate accounts for any administrative work.
Standard Accounts Are Perfect for Everyday Work
A standard account is more than capable of handling normal, day-to-day business tasks, including:
- Reading, writing, and sending emails.
- Browsing the internet safely.
- Working within Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace.
- Accessing approved business applications and cloud tools.
- Joining video calls and online meetings.
- Printing documents to already-installed printers.
- Opening, editing, and saving files.
- Tweaking personal display settings that don’t impact other users.
Some applications can be installed for a single user without needing admin rights at all. Others require administrator approval because they need to add drivers, background services, or files into protected areas of the computer.
An employee should never receive permanent administrator access just because one specific program occasionally needs an update. Instead, IT can approve the installation remotely, deploy the update across the network, or use a dedicated, separate administrator account just for that one task.
While some much older business applications sometimes expect the user to have admin rights, you should always test these thoroughly before changing account permissions. In almost all cases, an IT professional can update the software, tweak its configuration, or grant it access to the specific folders it needs without making the user a full administrator.
How to Manage Software Installations Without Permanent Access
Your staff can still get the software they need installed and updated without keeping permanent administrator rights.
- Let IT install approved software: Your IT team or provider can install the program remotely. This gives them a chance to confirm the installer is legitimate and that the requested version is supported.
- Use managed software deployment: Businesses with managed computers can silently push approved applications and critical updates to staff in the background, meaning nobody has to run an installer manually.
- Approve individual requests: An employee can contact IT when an installation requires administrator approval. The IT desk can review the request and securely enter the required credentials remotely—without ever giving the actual password to the employee.
- Provide time-limited administrator access: If a specific role needs to install or test software as part of their work, give that employee a separate administrator account that is only enabled for the approved task, and disable it immediately afterwards.
- Create a separate administrator account: Employees who regularly perform approved technical duties should have a dedicated, separate administrator account. They must still use their standard account for reading emails, browsing the web, and normal work, only switching to the admin account when a task explicitly requires elevated permissions.
Who Should Actually Have Administrator Access?
Administrator privileges should be strictly limited to the people whose jobs actively require them. This typically includes:
- Your internal IT staff.
- Your IT provider.
- An approved technical employee.
- A software specialist responsible for a particular system.
Even business owners should use standard accounts for their daily work. Owning the company does not mean you need permanent administrator access to every computer.
Your IT provider should maintain a managed, protected administrator account to support each device. This password must not be shared with employees. Using the exact same local administrator password across every computer creates another major problem; if that password is stolen from one device, it may work on all the others. Each computer needs a unique administrator password or a management service that controls these credentials.
How to Remove Administrator Access Safely
Do not remove every administrator account at once. Someone must retain a working method to manage and repair each computer.
1. Check which employees have administrator access: Review the local Administrators group on every Windows PC and the admin users on every Mac. Include old accounts, shared accounts, vendor accounts, and accounts created during the original setup.
2. Confirm why each person has it: Ask what tasks require administrator access. A clear business need should exist for every account that keeps the permission. Needing to update one application occasionally does not require permanent access.
3. Make sure IT has a working administrator account: Confirm that your IT team or provider can sign in with a protected administrator account before removing permissions from employees. Test the account on each device to prevent the business from being locked out of its own computers.
4. Test important software: Check the programs each employee needs for their job. Confirm they open, update, and work correctly when the employee uses a standard account. Any application that fails should be reviewed before access is removed permanently.
5. Change the employee’s account to a standard account: Once the computer has been checked, remove the employee from the local administrator group or change the account type. The employee should then sign out and sign back in so the new permissions apply correctly.
6. Tell staff how to request an installation: Give employees one place to contact when they need software installed or a setting changed. Explain what information to include, such as the program name, the reason it is needed, and the official download page.
7. Review access when roles change: Check administrator access when an employee changes jobs, receives new responsibilities, or leaves the business. Include it in your regular access reviews as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a standard user install software?
It depends on the software. Programs that only install inside the employee’s user profile may not need administrator approval. Software that changes protected system files, installs drivers, or adds background services usually requires administrator credentials.
Will removing administrator access stop employees from working?
Normal business applications should continue working. Test specialist and older applications before making the change across every computer.
Does removing administrator access stop malware?
It reduces what many harmful programs can change, but it does not prevent every attack. You still need supported software, security updates, endpoint protection, email security, MFA, and tested backups.
Should the business owner keep administrator access?
Use a standard account for everyday work. If you need administrator access for an approved task, use a separate account and keep its password protected.
Is local administrator access the same as Microsoft 365 administrator access?
No. Local administrator access controls one computer. Microsoft 365 administrator roles can control cloud users, email, files, security settings, and other parts of the company’s Microsoft environment. Both should be limited and reviewed.
Don’t leave your network open to unnecessary risks—let us handle it for you
Locking down administrator access and managing permissions shouldn’t be a constant headache. If you want peace of mind knowing your staff have the right access without compromising your security, Novo IT is here to help. As a family-run business based in Crawley, we provide proactive Cybersecurity and Managed IT Services to small businesses across West Sussex. We can audit your current access levels, secure your devices, and handle all those day-to-day software installations in the background, so you can focus on running your business.
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Article used with permission from The Technology Press.
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