UIAccess for UI automation applications
Microsoft UI automation is the Windows Vista model to support accessibility requirements with improvements over the earlier model, known as Microsoft Active Accessibility (MSAA). Applications designed to support accessible user experience control the behavior of other Windows applications on behalf of the user. When all applications (the automation client and server) are running as a standard user, that is, at a medium integrity level, the UIPI restrictions do not interfere with the UI automation model.
However, there may be times when an administrative user runs an application with elevated privilege based on UAC in Admin Approval Mode. The UI automation program will not be able to drive the graphics UI of elevated applications on the desktop without the ability to bypass restrictions that UIPI implements. The ability to bypass UIPI restrictions on SendMessage across privilege levels is available for UI automation programs using a special security attribute in the program’s application manifest, known asUIAccess.
The following is an example of an application manifest entry for a UIAccess program.