Problem overview
Unauthorized local admin accounts pose a serious security risk, granting elevated privileges to unapproved users. This automation ensures that only authorized admins have elevated access, reducing attack surfaces and preventing privilege escalation.
This automation systematically checks for unauthorized local administrators on Windows devices. It retrieves the list of local admin users and compares them against an authorized admins list (configurable globally, at the group level, or per device). If unauthorized admins are detected, the process requests approval before disabling those accounts. Once removed, the system rechecks local admin users to confirm compliance.
Use cases
- MSPs enforcing security policies – Ensure client devices maintain strict access controls.
- Internal IT teams – Automate compliance with internal security protocols.
- Organizations with rotating admin staff – Prevent lingering admin access.
- Regulated industries – Maintain audit-ready security postures with automated admin reviews.
- Remote workforce management – Keep endpoint privileges in check without manual intervention.
Recommendations
- Pair with the “Admin Users Monitor” to trigger this automation whenever unauthorized admins are detected.
- Test in a controlled environment before deploying organization-wide.
- Set global or group-level authorized admin lists for consistency across devices.
- Run on a schedule to enforce “set it and forget it” security checks.
- Monitor logs after execution to verify changes and ensure expected behavior.