Program Removal Agent with Privilege Proxy
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Users with standard user accounts face difficulties in removing or modifying installed programs on computer devices due to the need for administrator-level privileges, which can compromise security and require additional support, and existing systems often grant excessive privileges to maintain functionality.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that intercepts user requests to remove or modify programs, using an agent to evaluate and perform these actions through a proxy with elevated permissions, thereby enabling standard users to manage installed programs securely without full administrator access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If administrator-level privileges are required to remove or modify installed programs, then system security is improved, but user ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component (proxy process or privilege escalation mechanism) that mediates between the standard user account and the installer component. When a user initiates a program removal or modification request, the intermediary temporarily provides the necessary administrator privileges to complete the action, then revokes them. This allows standard users to perform management tasks without permanently holding high-level access rights, thus maintaining security while improving ease of operation.
2Reliability
If standard user accounts are used to maintain security, then system security is improved, but the ability to perform program management operations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic privilege escalation mechanism where the user account's privilege level is temporarily changed during program management operations. The system dynamically adjusts the privilege level from standard user to administrator when needed for installer component interactions, then returns to standard user level afterward. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain security while enabling program management capabilities when required.
3Ease of operation
If administrator privileges are granted to enable program removal, then ease of operation is improved, but system security deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the privilege access into temporary, task-specific grants rather than continuous administrator access. Instead of granting full administrator privileges to the user account, the system provides segmented, short-lived privilege elevation only for the specific duration needed to execute the program removal or modification action through the installer component. This segmentation reduces the overall security risk while maintaining operational capability.
Data Source
AI summary
Removal or modification of an installed program on a computer device is requested by a calling process in a user account which itself may or may not have administrator privileges. An agent, cooperating with an operating system, intercepts a call to remove or modify the installed program made by the calling process prior to reaching an uninstaller component of the operating system. The agent determines whether or not to allow the remove or modify request and, if permitted, provides a proxy process through which the requested action to remove or modify the installed program is performed.