I get a dialog when I launch the newly installed app (Turbo Tax Standard) which says there were problems installing (I"ve done it 3 times now) and that I should try and launch the App as an Administrator on my machine.
I tried calling TurboTax phone help but the robot is useless and they dont' let you talk to anyone so I asked AI about this dialog. It says:
TurboTax 2025 Desktop for Canada requires administrator privileges due to its digital rights management (DRM) system, registry manipulation requirements, and legacy software architecture that predates modern Windows security models. This requirement introduces measurable security risks by expanding attack surface, enabling potential malware propagation, and violating the principle of least privilege. Analysis of Intuit’s implementation reveals that the administrator requirement stems from technical debt rather than modern security architecture, creating a conflict between operational necessity and security best practices.
That sounds like they are being lazy and dangerous, and even tho they raised the price of this product they still rely on outdated software which increases the attack surface. I'm afraid of identity theft. It goes on to say:
Expanded Attack Surface
Running TurboTax as administrator fundamentally alters the Windows security model:
Attack Vector Multiplication: When executed with elevated privileges, TurboTax processes ( tt2025.exe ) operate at High Integrity Level, granting access to:
•All user accounts on the machine
•System restore points and shadow copies
•Windows Security Account Manager (SAM) database
•Kernel driver loading capabilities
Is TurboTax unsafe in 2025? Should we be looking at better options? Any suggestions?
Thank you for any help you can provide.
