App launchers and 'run as' another user

[songless]

Hi, I'm new here 

I'm looking for an application launcher ( with autohide bars and icons, I'm a mouse guy ) that allows to run any of the programs like a different user if you want to, but if possible without typing the password all the time ( very dangerous if you have a nice keylogger at memory ).

For example, there is a .net utility called Raise my Rights that generates a shortcut that runs the program under the user you want, and the password is saved encrypted with salt and so on. Using that shortcut you don't need to type the password but creatring all the shortcuts you need is a pain in the ass.

Currently I am using PowerPro as my app launcher because it's very powerful for creating nice bars with several fonts, colors... but only one copy of PowerPro is allowed to run  and of course I use a limited user account.

Windows Vista with UAC gives a relative solution to this, but how to implement something similar in XP ? Any idea ?

Thanks !

[f0dder]

Hm, if all it takes is a click, then it doesn't matter if the password is encrypted, as the application will be doing automatic decryption... it's usually a trivial matter to find the encryption algo+key, or dump from memory... just so you don't think this is more secure than it is.

But being able to launch stuff with other user credentials IS a nice idea

[songless]

I'm currently using an AutoHotKey script compiled with encryption option for launching apps with different credentials, something like:

if %1% = "Restricted"
  RunAs, %2%, pass
else if %1% = "Admin"
  RunAs, %2%, adminPass
else if ...

But for example, when I want to run uTorrent with a very restricted account ( only read/write rights to its own folder ), I have to manually edit in PowerPro a new entry with COMPILED_SCRIPT.EXE as the program and "restricted D:\bin\uTorrent\..." as arguments.
So it's very boring to add new entries under special accounts. For Process Explorer or AutoRuns I have the same for the admin account.

Launcher like PStart has an Run as... option, but you have to type the password all the time.
I agree that if the pass is decrypted at memory it wouldn't be very difficult to capture it, but not so easy like calling SetWindowsHookEx() and capture the keys.

[jp10558]

Maybe Sudowin? You can configure how long it remembers your password... Otherwise, I use AutoIT scripts sort of like the AutoHotKey script above (I just find v3 in AutoIT easier to use syntax wise).

[mouser]

id like to see a farr plugin for this.

[songless]

One year and three months later, I continue looking for the same app launcher. Probably it's time for trying to develop it myself, but man it's so HUGE amount of work to build a decent app launcher...

Advanced Windows users don't use several accounts for launching stuff ?  It's the same with Linux users ?
Any decent and minimalistic open source app launcher to begin with ?  The portableApps.com launcher it's pretty simple but I don't actually like it much

[mouser]

we really do need a farr plugin for this. anyone?

[songless]

I'll play a bit with the SDK , I've seen there is a wrapper for C# so it's a good oportunity to some fast prototyping.
My intention is to develop again native win32 code since 4 years without doing it, so if the thing works I'll try with a native version... at least I wish