Advanced Plus Security Divine_Barakah's Second Laptop Security Config

Last updated
Jul 10, 2026
How it's used?
For work or educational use
Operating system
Windows 11
On-device encryption
BitLocker Device Encryption for Windows
Log-in security
    • Biometrics (Windows Hello PIN, TouchID, Face, Iris, Fingerprint)
Security updates
Allow security updates
Update channels
Allow stable updates only
User Access Control
Always notify
Smart App Control
On
Network firewall
Enabled
About WiFi router
ISP-provided router.
Real-time security
Panda Dome Essential
Firewall security
Other - Internet Security (3rd-party)
About custom security
- Enabled Application Control
- Enhanced Panda Firewall settings.
- Protected Panda settings with a password
Periodic malware scanners
EEK
Malware sample testing
I do not participate in malware testing
Environment for malware testing
None
Browser(s) and extensions
Vivaldi (no extensions)
Waterfox (no extensions)
Helium (only the pre-installed unlock)
Secure DNS
Adguard Private DNS systemwide (Win 11 DNS over Https)
Desktop VPN
Adguard VPN
Password manager
Enpass Desktop synced to my cloud using WebDav.
Maintenance tools
Smarty Uninstaller
Hard Disk Sentinel Pro Portable
Lenovo Vantage (Commercial) deployed not the store version
File and Photo backup
Koofr
Filejump
Google Photos
Subscriptions
    • Google One AI Premium 2TB
System recovery
AOMEI Backupper Pro
Risk factors
    • Browsing to popular websites
    • Working from home
    • Making audio/video calls
    • Opening email attachments
    • Buying from online stores, entering banks card details
    • Logging into my bank account
    • Downloading software and files from reputable sites
    • Streaming audio/video content from trusted sites or paid subscriptions
Computer specs
Lenovo Thinkpad X13 Gen 3
Notable changes
Reverted to Windows 11 Pro 25H2
- blocked driver updates from Windows Update
- Deferred updates for 14 days.
What I'm looking for?

Looking for maximum feedback.

I love Budgie! But I have to admit, Cosmic is too good. System76 did a great job so kudos to them. Fedora will not replace PopOS for as far as I know PopOS comes with Nvidia pre configured and it is better for gaming. I know Fedora can be tweaked, but as long as PopOS does not require heavy configs and that it just works out of the box, it will stay a strong contender.

As for Ubuntu, I despise it. I despise Snap.
I forgot about Nvidia drivers, yes it is one of the strengths of Pop!_OS.
 
Well,

Screenshot_20260725_142507_com_android_chrome_ChromeTabbedActivity.jpg
 
Since you have changed the PC to Linux, you should change the Top Section synopsis too. I have joined you and installed Fedora COSMIC Spin also onto my playground / lockdown-lab laptop. I just love that blue halo windows frame.
 
  • Applause
Reactions: Divine_Barakah
I don't like Cosmic, because it doesn't have a Switch User feature. I have to logout and lose my work in progress when I need to go over to my admin account temporarily. But I do like it's GUI, the blue halo windows frame is pretty. Configuration wise it is mostly the same as Fedora KDE. There are differences in PAM, but Yubikey worked the same way. I find that in Linux, having a Yubikey when sudo'ing is a key requirement, because sudo passwords can be keylogged. And the attacker can impersonate you when sudo does not require a Yubikey. It's the same as your fingerprint mech. An additional safeguard is having more accounts which ain't admin. RBAC has other benefits, but part of it is that the attacker cannot use sudo in those non-admin accounts. And when you use a secondary account to surf, then you confine the attacker to that account without sudo, when he successfully attacks your browser - the major attack vector. The killer is javascript - the language for hackers which you can't turn off if you want usability. (partly joking) And the Javascript optimizer, be sure to turn that dang feature off. Whatever little speed improvement is not worth it. The browser is the major vector because if you check, you will see critical vulnerabilities in Every version they release. They patch some, and more appears with the next release. It is great that Fedora releases patches quick or else you will have multiple vulnerabilities for a length of time. Speaking of which, I am sure that the red team have a hack tool or two attacking my browser ( very strange things happen ) and it is fapolicyd App Control that is keeping them in check because it restricts foreign code from running. You say that you don't like default deny, well fapolicyd works without extra effort because it restricts all other code that is not installed via dnf. You use dnf and you are safe. I'd like to hear your opinion of default deny.
 
Last edited:
  • Thanks
Reactions: Divine_Barakah
Downloading Cosmic DE updates

View attachment 299020
Does it still load every single app in the middle of the screen? Was any new option added to make it behave like Windows, GNOME, KDE, etc. where let's say a browser, the file explorer will open maximized while notepad, terminal will open at a certain window size like in your screenshot.
 
Does it still load every single app in the middle of the screen? Was any new option added to make it behave like Windows, GNOME, KDE, etc. where let's say a browser, the file explorer will open maximized while notepad, terminal will open at a certain window size like in your screenshot.
You mean the dock? Or when you launch the app?
 
  • Like
Reactions: SeriousHoax
Unfortunately it opens in the middle of the window unmaximised
I feel that they all should open un-maximized and ALLOW ME to CHOOSE which to maximize. The situation changes, sometimes you want to maximize the browser, sometimes you don't. Either way, it is just one click to max whichever is the default, hardly worth nit picking over.
 
Last edited:
  • +Reputation
Reactions: Divine_Barakah
I feel that they all should open un-maximized and ALLOW ME to CHOOSE which to maximize. The situation changes, sometimes you want to maximize the browser, sometimes you don't. Either way, it is just one click to max whichever is the default, hardly worth nit picking over.
For me, it's worth nitpicking over. It's not one click; it's one extra click for every single app I prefer to open maximized. It's okay for Cosmic to be how it is by default if that's their design philosophy, but an option to change the behavior should be present, IMO.
The other option Cosmic has is tiling, which is not for most people.
Currently Cosmic completely lacks the ability to remember the last window size. That's the main reason. They will have it in the future but don't think it's a priority at the moment.
 
For me, it's worth nitpicking over. It's not one click; it's one extra click for every single app I prefer to open maximized. It's okay for Cosmic to be how it is by default if that's their design philosophy, but an option to change the behavior should be present, IMO.
The other option Cosmic has is tiling, which is not for most people.
Currently Cosmic completely lacks the ability to remember the last window size. That's the main reason. They will have it in the future but don't think it's a priority at the moment.
I believe it is by design? To enforce the use of tiling. But I'm pretty sure there must be a workaround.

But honestly, Cosmic, though it is still in beta, is very stable and light. So my overall experience is smooth and I am satisfied. The only thing that is annoying is the absence of Night Light.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SeriousHoax
I believe it is by design? To enforce the use of tiling. But I'm pretty sure there must be a workaround.

But honestly, Cosmic, though it is still in beta, is very stable and light. So my overall experience is smooth and I am satisfied. The only thing that is annoying is the absence of Night Light.
I forgot if it was one their devs or a user who told me on reddit what I shared above. Cosmic simply lacks the ability to remember last window size so it's set to open every app with a fixed size. That's the limitation at the moment and they have plans to implement it later. Basically every popular DE has it so Cosmic will have it too one day.

Yeah it's still kind of in beta but stable enough for most people I assume.
There's one DE that is being developed by one guy which Iooks interesting. It felt to me like how GNOME should have been. But that's being developed only by one person for one Linux Distro at the moment so the future is unclear.

 
  • Thanks
Reactions: Divine_Barakah
I forgot if it was one their devs or a user who told me on reddit what I shared above. Cosmic simply lacks the ability to remember last window size so it's set to open every app with a fixed size. That's the limitation at the moment and they have plans to implement it later. Basically every popular DE has it so Cosmic will have it too one day.

Yeah it's still kind of in beta but stable enough for most people I assume.
There's one DE that is being developed by one guy which Iooks interesting. It felt to me like how GNOME should have been. But that's being developed only by one person for one Linux Distro at the moment so the future is unclear.


While it might seem good, I hate this way of doing this. Almost every distro offers a new DE and none is complete. Look at Cinnamon, Budgie, Cosmic and Mate. Each has its own advantages but none is 100% complete.

This fragmentation is driving me crazy.
 
While it might seem good, I hate this way of doing this. Almost every distro offers a new DE and none is complete. Look at Cinnamon, Budgie, Cosmic and Mate. Each has its own advantages but none is 100% complete.

This fragmentation is driving me crazy.
Yeah, more choice is good but overall, the fragmentation slows down Linux's progress in the home user market.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Divine_Barakah
Stick with the mainstream if you want maturity: Gnome and KDE. At least these two are widely used across distro's Gnome is used by 116 distro's and KDE has 125 distro's. Whereas COSMIC is offered by 15 distro's.
I like Cosmic and it almost ticks all the boxes for me for now. I don't like KDE nor Gnome. I prefer Cinnamon and Budgie.
Yeah, more choice is good but overall, the fragmentation slows down Linux's progress in the home user market.
And I don't see this changing any time soon.