Advanced Plus Security bayasdev's Security Config 2023

Last updated
May 28, 2023
How it's used?
For home and private use
Operating system
macOS 15 Sequoia
Other operating system
Ubuntu 23.04
On-device encryption
BitLocker Device Encryption for Windows
Log-in security
    • Biometrics (Windows Hello PIN, TouchID, Face, Iris, Fingerprint)
    • Basic account password (insecure)
Security updates
Allow security updates and latest features
User Access Control
Always notify
Network firewall
Enabled
About WiFi router
Belkin RT3200 with OpenWrt
Real-time security
Microsoft Defender
Firewall security
Microsoft Defender Firewall
About custom security
  • PUP detection
Periodic malware scanners
MBAM, NPE and HitmanPro
Malware sample testing
I do not participate in malware testing
Environment for malware testing
N/A
Browser(s) and extensions
Google Chrome with uBO and Bitwarden
Secure DNS
Adguard Home (OISD Big + 1Hosts Lite)
Desktop VPN
Windscribe and ProtonVPN
Password manager
Bitwarden
Maintenance tools
BleachBit
File and Photo backup
Google Drive and local backups on external drives
System recovery
Macrium Reflect Free
Google Drive
Risk factors
    • Browsing to popular websites
    • Working from home
    • Gaming
    • Coding and development
Computer specs
  • Acer Predator G3-571
  • i7-7700HQ
  • GTX 1060
  • 16GB DDR4
  • 1TB NVMe
Notable changes
Clean install now encrypted with BitLocker
What I'm looking for?

Looking for medium feedback.

bayasdev

Level 19
Thread author
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Sep 10, 2015
901
Hoping you guys had a wonderful holiday, this is my security config for 2022. I have Windows 11 Pro installed along with Fedora Workstation 35.

Windows Defender can become very CPU and I/O consuming specially when copying large folders such as node_modules so I ended up buying an Emsisoft Anti-Malware license because it's the less intrusive solution I found (I don't want SSL MITM or bloated suites just a simple AV to replace WD).

1641246297253.png

This year I'm going to replace my current laptop but I'm still not sure wheter to go with a MacBook Pro (M1 Pro) or an Alder Lake based laptop (preferably a ThinkPad but as long as the RAM/NVMe is upgradeable and it doesn't has Nvidia nor hardware that doesn't work properly on Linux I'm fine).

Stay safe!
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Vitali Ortzi

Level 24
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Dec 12, 2016
1,322
just use Linux you will have more control of what takes your IO
anyway since m1 has unlocked boot-loader its really nice and efficiency is unheared of in any other mobile as long as you dont need x86 or certain applications i think mac is a really nice
unforntaly thinkpads are dead im writing this in a t400 and its dam good except ##### speakers ##### screen and slow ass p8700 cpu
if i had this exact laptop with micro led ,arm ,nice speakers and modern ports it would have been my fav laptop
but ibm design is long dead :(
 

bayasdev

Level 19
Thread author
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Sep 10, 2015
901
Since Linux runs so bad on Nvidia Optimus laptops currently I'm only using Windows 10 LTSC 2021 on this machine, had to ditch Windows 11 since it blocks MSR writes required for CPU undervolting when running VBS (WSL2).

I'm also using EIS since it's more lightweight and doesn't has FP issues unlike EAM (behavior-blocked quarantined my PostgreSQL installation whilst performing a backup routine 🤣).

1648515919841.png


PD: Now I'm waiting for the M2 powered MBP to come out since development will be moving forward to ARMv9 in the next years.
PD2: Asahi Linux is making eyes at me.
 

bayasdev

Level 19
Thread author
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Sep 10, 2015
901
I went back to Windows 11 but now I'm using 22H2 (Insiders Beta channel), protection wise I'm sticking to Microsoft Defender on default settings (only PUP and HVCI are enabled).

1654093354166.png


PD: no MacBook for me (as a software developer I need to work with the customer's legacy technology stack) so I'm getting a Lenovo Legion laptop (Ryzen) in the next months.
 

SeriousHoax

Level 49
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Mar 16, 2019
3,862
I went back to Windows 11 but now I'm using 22H2 (Insiders Beta channel), protection wise I'm sticking to Microsoft Defender on default settings (only PUP and HVCI are enabled).

View attachment 267158

PD: no MacBook for me (as a software developer I need to work with the customer's legacy technology stack) so I'm getting a Lenovo Legion laptop (Ryzen) in the next months.
It's also better not to try third party AVs on this build. ESET and Bitdefender failed to properly turn off Microsoft Defender on this build. These are the only two that I tested so maybe it's an issue for other products too because even using Group Policy to turn off Defender didn't work. Windows Security shows third party AV is active yet Defender service kept running. So it's a bug of this build I guess. So stick to Microsoft Defender.
 

bayasdev

Level 19
Thread author
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Sep 10, 2015
901
I haven't logged in to the forums for a while but the old Acer setup is pretty much the same aside from upgrading Ubuntu to 23.04
PD: I'm currently daily driving my M2 Pro MacBook so no antivirus for me :S
 

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