Windows 8.1 allows full physical memory dump from user mode

[hamax]

http://crashdmp.wordpress.com/2014/08/01/introducing-livedump-exe/

[xdeadbeef]

Yes, but it requires being administrator.

[officialjunk → xdeadbeef]

I don't know much about operating systems. Is this standard accross all platforms or do some prevent admin from accessing all physical memory?

[xdeadbeef → officialjunk]

I think generally root/admin have carte blanche to do this sort of thing.