Mastering User Accounts: Why It Matters and How to Do It Right
When you use one of your digital devices, you probably just pick it up and start using it. You probably don’t need to select which account to use, unless you share a computer. Mobile devices typically lack user accounts, because they’re personal devices. You may share a tablet, but you rarely share a phone. However, computers and some smart devices have the capacity for separate user accounts, and, more importantly, separate types of user accounts. Managing user accounts, and using them appropriately, is essential for security, organization, and functionality. Today we’re going to look at why managing user accounts is often overlooked but important.
Why User Account Management Matters
The four benefits of managing different user accounts are security, privacy, customization, and troubleshooting. I’ll go into each of these areas so that you can understand why separating access might appeal to you. If none of your devices is capable of separate accounts, it’s still good information to have.
Security
Security is enhanced by restricting access across different user accounts, and protecting sensitive data. It’s also possible to minimize the impact of breaches and malware infections by isolating user environments. Many malware programs require administrative permissions in order to perform their dirty work, and if you run your systems as a standard user, you can thwart those programs. Separate accounts also creates a sort of “sandbox,” so that a bad program introduced in one user profile can’t jump over into another profile.
This is especially true for browser-based attacks. It can also make it easier to identify where the problem sits, making it easier to clean up. If the malware is limited to one user profile, the technician can delete the profile rather than having to reimage the whole computer. Additionally, as long as you’re not running all day long as an administrator, those special administrator’s tools are hidden from malware attacks.
Privacy
By using separate accounts, each user can have a bit of privacy from other users. Of course, parents should be able to look into their children’s accounts, but children should be able to write silly poetry if they want to without having the other kids get into it and read it to their friends. If you’re using one computer for personal and business purposes, you can create separate profiles on the computer so that when you’re in business mode, only business programs and files are visible.
Being able to customize the desktop with font sizes, images, and shortcuts is another benefit of using separate accounts. Each user on the system can have a taskbar that holds his or her own most-used programs, and each desktop can have that user’s most useful shortcuts.
Accountability
Finally, separate user accounts allows for easier identification of issues or unauthorized system changes. We can track user-specific activity logs if we need to, to find the source of a problem.
Best Practices for Managing User Accounts
- Each user should have a separate account. If all users share one account, each user has access to all the files, browsing history, and personal information. Shared accounts also often use weaker passwords for convenience, and we know that’s a no-no, right?
- Use administrator accounts judiciously. Only trustworthy users should have access to an administrator accounts, and the admin accounts should not be the “daily driver” accounts. Admin accounts are for administrative activities. User accounts are for user activities. Here’s a hint: typing up a word document is not an administrative activity.
- Encourage strong passwords. Learn how to create and use a strong password. I’ve got a video that teaches one method for that here. Anywhere multifactor authentication is possible, implement it.
- Perform regular account housekeeping. Delete unused or outdated accounts, and update passwords and permissions as needed.
- Set up a guest account for temporary users, providing very limited access to any sensitive data and settings, and revoke permissions or delete the account after use.
- Leverage parental controls for smart devices. Manage access and activities without disrupting the primary account.
- Use built-in tools for management. Windows User Management, Mac Users and Groups are the most common ones. Additionally, services such as a Google account, Apple ID, and a Microsoft account can assist in managing and synchronizing accounts across devices.
A Few Other Tips for Managing Accounts
Be cautious of linking accounts unneccessarily. It’s convenient to use one account to log into another, like using a Facebook account to access another website, but you may not realize the permissions you’re granting to the other website.
Do a periodic audit of the apps and services that are connected to user accounts. There are so many different services available that I can’t provide a deep set of instructions for that, but they’re easy to find with a search using your favorite search engine. The most common is Facebook, and you should verify that only the services you’re actively using still have access to your account.
You should back up the important files in each profile regularly as well. You can do a file and folder backup by copying your files to another device, or you can copy the whole profile folder to another device. If you’re doing full device backups, you don’t need an additional step, but you should use the 3-2-1 method: three copies of at least your most critical data, in two separate locations, one of which is in a different location offsite.
Your Turn
You don’t need to set everything in motion at once. You can start by making a decision to make one small change I’ve suggested here. What tips and tricks have you used successfully to manage your accounts? OR – what else do you need to know? Drop a comment or question below.
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