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Windows 8.1 Marking Apps with Defender Shield

Posted: Sat Nov 23, 2013 3:13 am
by IdeasVacuum
Testing two tiny desktop apps on a friend's Win8.1 laptop. Both apps have always installed and run fine on XP and Win7.

However, when installing on Win8:

MS Pop-up: Do you want to allow the following program from an unknown publisher to make changes to this computer?

If the User clicks on Yes, the install is fine, but the app desktop icon gets the Windows Defender Shield logo superimposed on it - which would obviously make the User feel concerned.

Re: Windows 8.1 Marking Apps with Defender Shield

Posted: Sat Nov 23, 2013 12:19 pm
by luis
I believe the meaning of items with the shield is just they need administrator privileges to run.

Re: Windows 8.1 Marking Apps with Defender Shield

Posted: Sat Nov 23, 2013 2:38 pm
by IdeasVacuum
...If that is true, could be good music, but I think Users will associate the Defender Shield with nasty things - i.e. they would view it as a potential virus of some sort.

Re: Windows 8.1 Marking Apps with Defender Shield

Posted: Sat Nov 23, 2013 5:47 pm
by luis
AFAIK both Windows Defender and Microsoft security Essential has a "rook" or "castle" as their icons, at least on Win7.
Is this different on Win8 ?

The shield should just be the UAC icon overlay, see "Display the UAC shield and elevation UI based on the following table" here -> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library ... 11445.aspx

Re: Windows 8.1 Marking Apps with Defender Shield

Posted: Sat Nov 23, 2013 6:58 pm
by IdeasVacuum
I see Luis, thank you for the link. All sorts of things spring to mind, because the shield should have turned-up on at least some Vista/Win 7 machines but never did (same app). So, I think MS have implemented the UAC more carefully in Win8, which in itself is a good thing, but if Win8 Users now start seeing tons of shields everywhere, a lot of those Users (the 'non technical' ones if I can say that), are going to worry. Also, separate subject, MS say this:
Without elevation, malware can't make system-wide changes or affect other users.
If they truly believe that, then there is no hope for the world as we know it :shock: