Which task can be accomplished by a standard user, regardless of the system security settings?

Installing most programs typically requires writing files to protected system directories (like Program Files) or making changes to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE registry hive, which necessitates administrator privileges.

Changing an account name or type (e.g., from Standard User to Administrator) involves modifying system-level user account settings and security identifiers, which requires administrative rights.

While a standard user can usually change their own password, system security settings, such as Group Policy, can be configured to prevent users from changing their passwords, making this task not universally possible 'regardless of the system security settings'.

Standard users can connect many Plug and Play (PnP) devices, such as USB peripherals, for which Windows already contains a signed driver in its driver store or can automatically fetch one through Windows Update. In such cases, the system can install and configure the driver without requiring administrative privileges or a User Account Control prompt, allowing the hardware to function.