Does Extended Validation Code Signing certificate helps avoid Windows UAC popup window

Question

The questions relates to Windows 7 and up. So far I signed my code with a regular code signing certificate. My application requires admin privileges since it uses raw sockets. Upon application start up there is a User Account Control (UAC) popup window asking the user if he/she agrees to proceed.

From the Symantec site about this kind of certificate: "..Users may experience fewer warning messages when trying to run your application." See more here. However I'm not sure if the fewer warning messages means no UAC pop-up window when starting an application that requires admin privileges.

Putted simple, my question is: does Windows 7 (and up) shows UAC popup window when user starts an applications that requires admin privileges, in a case when the application is singed with Extended Validation Code Signing certificate?

Thanks!

Answer 1

I'm pretty sure that the certificate does not influence the amount of times the UAC will pop up. The UAC was made to prevent that all users work with admin rights the whole time. It provides a simple elevation of rights for a specific application if the user accepts it. If it was possible to prevent the UAC from popping up by a certificate AND getting privileged rights for the application the security concept would be in big trouble. So I don't think they're talking about UAC here.

However I can't proof what I wrote here by any links.

Answer 2

No matter what clients downloading an application will always get a message prompt regarding an installation of the application, whether it is signed by a certificate from a Certificate authority or not at all.

The difference is that Windows will tell the client installing the application in that prompt that it is from an "unknown source" and should have caution. Unlike with a signed application were they will still get the prompt but it won’t tell them that it’s from a unknown source.

There is no way to get rid of that prompt when a client is first installing the application on a windows system.