[cjlindstrom]

Is there a way to disable the administrator authentication box that pops up whenever you try to install something even though you are already logged in as the administrator?

I don't know if this is possible or not, but I hope it is. This is fairly annoying and we should have the option to turn this off somehow

Thanx for any help

[MrNo]

That box is there for a reason. So only you or whoever knows your password can install software on your machine. I don't know if there is a way to turn it off, but even if there was it would not be a wise decision.

[Millennium]

It cannot be turned off. It's there for security reasons.

Admittedly, it is not as secure as it could be (and in fact, this knocks OSX out of the running for C1 security certification). To be truly secure, you would have to hit Cmd-Ctrl-POWER before typing in the password, similar to NT's Ctrl-Alt-Delete. This ensures that the dialog cannot be faked, because if you did this with a fake dialog, it would force-reboot the machine, and if you didn't see the message to use that keystroke you would know the dialog was fake.

Yeah, it's inconvenient. It's also necessary. This is one of those times where the past ideology of ease and convenience was taken too far, and the average end-user has gotten lazy about security as a result. That very thing is what has allowed the Microsoft e-mail worms to flourish as they have.

[cjlindstrom]

I totally agree with the fact that when booting into the system, a very secure method such as the one found in Windows NT style systems is a very good idea.

But, I am not talking about the preliminary login process here. What my concern is in regards to after the initial login, I should not be hassled with giving the machine my admin password over and over again when I try to run Drive 10 or when I install a simple program off of the internet. The computer should still remember that I am logged in and not need my password to be reentered all the time.

Also, I don't see why it would be a problem to have the admin reauthentication boxes disabled. If you are concerned about people installing programs and accessing your computer when you aren't around, then log out before leaving your computer or set the screen saver to require a password before going back to the computer. That is the kind of security that is necessary, not reauthentication of an admin password when you have to do anything.

[rantweasel]

The single biggest non-bug source of security problems with computers today is software developers who listen when someone says "That's too inconvenient, I don't want to have to do it that way". The reason that you have to authenticate as an admin user when installing some new software is that just because you're logged in doesn't mean that you're the person at the keyboard. Millennium's point is that you should really have to use an NT style key sequence in order to get the already logged in, re-authentication dialog. And I'd like to add that Apple should be using shadow passwords that support more than 8 character passwords, for that matter.

mathias

[Gul Banana]

It's an attempt to save you from yourself..
Because of permissions, it's pretty much impossible to screw up your system badly except in a situation where you have to enter an admin password. Think of it as a warning: "Make sure that what you are doing is completely safe."