Windows 10 Pro 22H2 x64 / Avast Free 22.12.6044
I found only one thread on this question (https://forum.avast.com/?topic=240281.msg1569302) which remains unsolved. With password protection enabled Avast dims the entire screen before opening the GUI, which is annoying. Windows’ UAC allows this to be disabled, and I’d love to disable it in Avast if possible. Imperfect screenshot attached.
Anyone know of a tweak to accomplish this? TIA
Well technically it isn’t unresolved as the Original Poster was asked for more information, but didn’t give it.
As far as “Windows’ UAC allows this to be disabled” is concerned that won’t make a difference as the Avast Self Defence module would prevent any changes to the Avast settings.
I have never set password protection for my avast installations, so I have never experienced this and can’t comment personally about it. However, your having set a password effectively seeking to prevent changes in the UI, it would appear that this is how it is achieving this.
If this is the case then you would have to enter your password enter the UI and change the setting requiring a password.
Of not even with no password set on my Avast Installation it is a very rare occasion when I even venture into the UI, usually as a result of a question in the forum.
I will not be disabling password protection, because without it anyone with access to the computer (physical or remote) can shut off the entire AV system, make shield changes, etc. which strikes me as a serious vulnerability. It’s why they offer password protection, after all. But since I’m not the only one who doesn’t like the screen dimming, I throw my hat into the ring hoping there comes a tweak to disable it. It’s not necessary in any way. YMMV
Do you understand the full implications of disabling it in UAC?
User Account Control:
Switch to the secure desktop when prompting for elevation
[i]“The secure desktop presents the sign-in UI and restricts functionality
and access to the system until the sign-in requirements are satisfied.”
“The secure desktop’s primary difference from the user desktop is that
only trusted processes running as SYSTEM are allowed to run here (that
is, nothing is running at the user’s privilege level). The path to get
to the secure desktop from the user desktop must also be trusted through
the entire chain.”
“Best practices”
“Enable the User Account Control: Switch to the secure desktop when
prompting for elevation setting. The secure desktop helps protect
against input and output spoofing by presenting the credentials dialog
box in a protected section of memory that is accessible only by trusted
system processes.”[/i]
I suspect that the background dimming in Avast when entering a
password is a consequence of it soliciting the password in a
Secure Desktop setting. If so, it is done for the same reasons
that UAC does it - to help protect the entry from being captured
by keyloggers, etc. (The password manager KeePass provides the
same option, and enabling it also results in background dimming
during master password entry.)
Disabling the Secure Desktop for reasons of visual aesthetics may
be short-sighted from a security viewpoint, as it increases the
vulnerability of the data being entered.
I confess I did not know that ~ although I always run as a Standard/Limited user, I only recently started using Win 10 Pro (up from Home) so most things Group Policy were above my pay grade. So I’ve learned something here, and thanks for that. If there’s an analogous behind-the-scenes function with Avast’s screen dimming I guess I’ll learn to live with it…