User Account Control (UAC).

A Windows security feature introduced in Vista that runs interactive sessions with a limited token and prompts for consent or credentials before an administrative action elevates. It belongs to the Identity & Access category of cybersecurity.

A Windows security feature introduced in Vista that runs interactive sessions with a limited token and prompts for consent or credentials before an administrative action elevates.

User Account Control (UAC) is a Windows access-control feature Microsoft introduced in Windows Vista and refined in subsequent releases. When an administrator logs on, Windows generates two tokens — a filtered standard token used for normal activity and a full administrator token. Any operation that requires elevation triggers the Consent UI (secure desktop prompt), and only after approval does the full token apply. UAC mitigates malware that runs as the user by forcing explicit confirmation for actions such as installing drivers or modifying HKLM. It is not a security boundary on its own — Microsoft documents that UAC prompts on the standard desktop can be bypassed by trusted auto-elevating processes, which is why attackers chase UAC-bypass techniques (fodhelper, computerdefaults, ICMLuaUtil). Defenders set UAC to Always Notify and combine it with LAPS, AppLocker, and EDR.

Defences for User Account Control (UAC) typically combine technical controls and operational practices, as detailed in the full definition above.

Common alternative names include: User Account Control, UAC prompt.