Advanced Plus Security ErzCrz's PC Security Config

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Definitely need to think about upgrading this thing.

This is a good value and it comes with a 1 year warranty.

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Only downsides I could see with a quick look are:

• 256GB PCIe M.2 NVMe Class 35 Solid State Drive
• 8GB (1X8GB) Up to 3200MHz DDR4 SoDIMM Non-ECC

256GB is small, I would recommend 512GB as minimum.
I would be nice to add 8GB of ram so it runs in dual channel (2 x 8GB).

 

[ErzCrz]

Only downsides I could see with a quick look are:

256GB is small, I would recommend 512GB as minimum.
I would be nice to add 8GB of ram so it runs in dual channel (2 x 8GB).

Yes @Gandalf_The_Grey spotted some higher spec ones with 1TB or 512Gig and better spec. "Acer Aspire 3, Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 1TB SSD, 15.6 Inch Laptop, NX.ADDEK.00N" Is just one of the ones I've spotted but there are better ones in price range here in UK.

But, as with everything as of late, it'll be Christmas or new year probably New Year sales. I managed to lean on my Kobo eReader late last night and it's not working anymore. So, today ordered the upgraded one as a early Bday present. Priorities I guess and it can wait for now.

 

[ErzCrz]

Figured out what the issue was with Edge pages not loading. I had Startup Boost and Enable extensions to continue running enabled. Turning those off fixed it. Boost really didn't load Edge that much quicker, maybe just or 2 seconds quicker but not worth the hassle.

 

[ErzCrz]

Didn't quite fix it but it's less frequent. Must be just me using and old machine with it or something else but seems to have been a bit of a fix.

 

[ErzCrz]

Just updated in line with: By Staff - Get started with Your Computer Security Configuration (2022) posted today.Just Recommeded but not tested Backup and Feedback to Mostly Satisfied. I say the latter with a pinch of salt as I still find myself swapping out configs now and then.

 

[ErzCrz]

Uninstalled Macrium Reflect Free. Investigating other backup options before updating main post on this. After last backup had Broadcom wifi error which had to be reset and battery wasn't charging so had to do a hard-reset to fix. I think I'll end up just disk image manually and OneDrive now and then.

EDIT: Not sure it's connected to Macrium Reflect but something not quite right.

 

[ErzCrz]

Has happened once since MR reinstall but I think external drive USB might be the issue. Just seeing what manual options or alternatives are out there. I think you can still do a disc image with old windows features but something 3rd party like MR might do it better. Just a thought, what about OpenSource solutions?
Anyway, something I'm still researching. OneDrive and File History slows my machine noticably.

 

[ErzCrz]

Just updating that not experienced any issue with backups since re-install of Macrium Reflect Free.
The security paranoid side of me with magniber and other tricks to try and bypass MD has been contemplating a CF/MD combination but I think my layered approach is still quite good protection and I'm bringing back my anti-exploit tweaks. Will post update post when I've done that later

 

[ErzCrz]

Earlier this year I reset some settings and it seems I never got back to using Edge Exploit tweaks. I had planned to employ the other tweaks from this post Maximum Anti-Exploit protection settings for your program but for some reason powershell .xml script failed. Anyway, just trialling some of them manually. At any rate, re-instated the Edge exploit tweaks below

Edge Exploit settings:

Exploit Protection settings for browsers (thanks to @Umbra @oldschool ). These have broken anything yet, e.g. extensions crashing.
- for Brave, Edge and Firefox:

Block low integrity images - ON
Block remote images - ON
Block untrusted fonts - ON
Control flow guard (CFG) - ON
Data execution prevention (DEP) - ON + Enable thunk emulation - CHECKED
Disable extension points - ON
Force randomization for images (Mandatory ASLR) - ON + Do not allow stripped images - CHECKED
Randomize memory allocations (Bottom-up ASLR) - ON
Validate exception chains (SEHOP) - ON
Validate handle usage - ON
Validate heap integrity - ON
Validate image dependency integrity - ON

ADD for Edge Chromium only: Code integrity guard - ON (with or without Also allow images signed by M$ Store CHECKED)

 

[ErzCrz]

Getting nagged for OneDrive with MD every few days as I don't have CFA enabled. OneDrive slowed startup when I had it load at startup so use CFA? or just start OD new and then?

 

[oldschool]

Getting nagged for OneDrive with MD every few days as I don't have CFA enabled. OneDrive slowed startup when I had it load at startup so use CFA? or just start OD new and then?

I don't use OD but it couldn't hurt to enable CFA.

 

[Kongo]

I personally removed One Drive with Hibit

 

[ErzCrz]

Update - Removed Edge Exploit Tweaks. Had some random page disconnects so removed those for now. Also removed OneDrive backups. I still use it manually for backing up Keepass files when new passwords added but relying on Macrium Reflect Free backups and manual copying of big collections on 2nd partition to external drive. I do notice some performance improvements since disabling OneDrive even when I ran it manually before.

 

[ErzCrz]

Just listing Firefox as primary browser. M$ just wants my data or it feels that way and with that shopping feature and personalization enabled again after updates finding it annoying.
Edit: Thunderbird now primary mail client as well. Windows Mail just doesn't have enough features.

 

[ErzCrz]

Macrium Reflect Free is retiring.I'm investigating other options but there's plenty of time.

 

[ErzCrz]

Updated Dec 2022 changes, backup now manual and onedrive. Experimenting with Comodo Internet Security but not fully committed to it yet. In a bit of a limbo as planning to upgrade laptop earlly next year.

 

[ErzCrz]

Confirmed, will be getting laptop upgrade in the sales. Budget only around £650 but can get a decent low end one for that. Liking HP 15s-fq2038na. Had Acers in the past but the hinges have eventually fallen aoart including on the one I'm using now which is superglued back together but maybe they're built better now. Anyway, planned for the new year

 

[Shadowra]

Confirmed, will be getting laptop upgrade in the sales. Budget only around £650 but can get a decent low end one for that. Liking HP 15s-fq2038na. Had Acers in the past but the hinges have eventually fallen aoart including on the one I'm using now which is superglued back together but maybe they're built better now. Anyway, planned for the new year

The PC is nice (even if I prefer AMD Ryzen, less expensive)

 

[ErzCrz]

The PC is nice (even if I prefer AMD Ryzen, less expensive)

Thanks. Will look at all the choices nearer the time but that one looks quite good. Was tempted with 1TB HD but you tend to lose out on specs over HD space but 512 will suite me fine. Anyway, will be glad to have something current generation for once

Just marking a couple of alternatives as that one not in stock HP 14s-fq1005na 14in Ryzen 7 8GB 512GB (8-core) though it'll all change in the sales Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro 14in i5 8GB 512GB (12-core) & X1502ZA-BQ556W (10-core) I could spend all day looking at all of these but see what's best nearer the time

Turkey and stuff in the oven for a late Christmas meal.

 

[ErzCrz]

Just fixed the old laptop specs link. Planning to get new one in the next week or so,, sort of convinced myself of the HP14s-fq1005na 14u Ryzen 7 8GB 512 (8-core) machine in above post but getting advice from a mate who's better in the know