As with smartphones, one of the easiest ways for a PC to become infected with malware is to install a new app, but Microsoft is working on a new solution that will enhance one of the main ways malicious software can take over a PC.

Hackers often make malicious apps more powerful by requesting access to unwanted permissions, giving them greater control over the device; in Android, by exploiting the operating system's accessibility services, In Windows 11, the same can be accomplished by tricking unsuspecting users into granting administrative privileges to certain apps and programs.

In fact, according to Microsoft's latest Digital Defense report, there are almost 40,000 incidents of token thefts per day that exploit user privileges in this way. Once in possession of someone's authentication token, a rogue attacker can impersonate that person online and gain access to sites and services (such as e-mail or online banking accounts) where that person previously logged in.

The best Windows laptops often require administrative privileges to adjust the time zone, change the registry, install new apps, and so on. But the problem is that if your device is infected with malware, hackers can have direct access to all of these same functions and can take advantage to make quiet changes to your PC in the background to steal your data and your credentials It is.

Unfortunately, some software requires administrative privileges to work properly, and there is a very fine line between standard user privileges and administrative privileges. This is where Microsoft's new administrator protection feature comes in, and it has the potential to significantly change Windows security.

Currently in preview, Administrator Protection is Microsoft's new security solution that offers the best of both worlds with respect to standard and administrative privileges.

Windows users have all the safeguards that come with standard user privileges by default, but can easily modify their system or install new applications on their PC when needed.

With administrator protection enabled, if system changes require administrator privileges, the user will be prompted to securely approve these changes using Windows Hello.

To grant administrative privileges to an app or the system itself, Windows creates a temporary, isolated administrator token. Once the task at hand is completed, this token is immediately destroyed and cannot be abused by hackers, as administrator privileges are not permanent.

In addition to ensuring that users, not malware, have control over Windows system resources, administrator protection disrupts the chain of attack that hackers use in cyber attacks. This is because hackers will no longer be able to automatically and directly access the operating system kernel and other critical system security without Windows Hello authentication.

One way to think about this is like enhanced multi-factor authentication (MFA) for making changes to a PC: just as you need to provide a fingerprint or code to access an MFA-protected online account, administrator protection allows you to change settings and or grant administrative privileges to certain apps, you must provide a face scan, fingerprint scan, or Windows PIN.

Once administrator protection is officially launched, you will definitely want to enable it, but there are other measures you can take to protect your Windows PC from malware.

First, make sure that Microsoft Defender is enabled. This built-in security software helps protect your PC from malware and other viruses. But for further protection, you may also want to consider running one of the best antivirus software solutions with it, as it also includes additional features like VPNs and password managers to help keep you even safer online

There you have it.

From there, just like with your phone, you want to be careful when downloading and installing new apps; sticking with a trusted app store like the Microsoft Store is always a good idea, but if you need to download software not available there If you need to download software that is not available there, you want to make sure it is actually from the developer's site and not a look-alike. One way hackers trick people into downloading and installing malicious apps is through fake ads on search engines.

People often click on the first link they see in search results, but at least on Google, the first few are actually sponsored ads. Just as you or I can buy ads online, hackers can buy ads as well, and this has become a very common way for them to distribute malware online.

The most important thing you can do, however, is to keep your PC updated regularly. On the second Tuesday of each month, Microsoft distributes a number of bug fixes and security patches as part of its monthly Patch Tuesday, and while updating your PC frequently can be annoying, it is an essential part of practicing cyber hygiene. Hackers love to prey on users with outdated software, and the same goes for smartphones and other connected devices.

We'll hear more about administrator protection when the feature is ready for official deployment, but in the meantime, we'll be watching its development closely, as it could completely change the way hackers target Windows PCs.