Microsoft"s delayed Longhorn operating system appears to be taking a page from the Unix management book by curbing user"s administration rights. Mike Nash, Microsoft"s security business and technology unit corporate vice president, has said Longhorn would accord end-users certain rights and privileges apparently ending the concept that everyone using their PC is also the PC"s administrator.
Speaking at Microsoft"s Worldwide partner conference on Sunday, Nash indicated the architectural change is part of a move to improve security of desktop systems by limiting the ability for end-users to install applications or for malware to take control of a machine, turning it into a zombie. The move mirrors techniques used in versions of Unix and Linux to create more limited variations of "the God user" or root account. This account provides a single user with total control of, and access to, an entire system"s resources.