Question on PC & Peripherals:

What is the difference between UAC (User Account Control in Vista) and firewall? It seems that both are doing basically the same thing, blocking any unwanted programs and spyware from installing or invading the operating system.

I am currently using Vista (Home Premium) with UAC enabled and with no firewall installed. I log in as an administrator and I'm not sharing my PC with anyone else. As you may be aware, UAC can be annoying with its pop ups (unlike a firewall where permission can be granted only once) and I'm really tempted to deactivate the function. Can I replace the UAC with a firewall instead?

Submitted by CNET Asia reader, via email

Answer:

Both features protect your system differently. Firewalls are port blockers which prevent malicious programs and hackers from gaining control of your system.

The UAC layer, on the other hand, is the next layer of defense in the event that a malicious program tries to install on your machine. Since permission is required to install any application that needs to access the administrative account, it prevents unauthorized programs from gaining control of your PC.