Administrative Privileges on Workstations

Administrator permissions can be abused to allow malicious software to damage your system or steal data by impersonating your user account.  To help keep MSU‐Northern computer users safe, administrator permissions will be assigned only when necessary.

AdminElevate is a tool that allows faculty and staff to perform privileged actions, like installing a new program, on campus computers on a temporary basis by requesting administrative permission.  Currently, this application is only applies to Windows devices.

How do I use AdminElevate?

AdminElevate icon [golden A with red up arrow]You can find the AdminElevate icon (a golden ‘A’ with a red 'up' arrow) in your start menu. Just like any other start menu program, if you don't see AdminElevate right away, you can begin typing the name to search for it. If you ever need to perform an administrative function, click that icon. The program will automatically gather the information it needs about your user account and the computer you are using. The program will ask you a couple of questions to help ITS document which programs and tasks need elevation and create a Help Desk Ticket.  The helpdesk will review the request, and if the permission request looks safe, you will receive a ticket update in your email approving the request, and explaining what to do next.

How long do these permissions last?

At the end of the workday, your computer will restart itself, removing the extra permissions ‐ returning your account to a safe user permission level.

If you do not complete the task that needed administrator permissions by the end of the day, you will need to run Admin Elevate to request administrator permissions again.

 

You can find find more details about AdminElevate in this document.