Advanced Plus Security Gandalf_The_Grey's laptop config for 2020

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

My config for 2020.
Windows Defender and Hard_Configurator is probably enough, but I like the idea of WhitelistCloud by VoodooShield.
For office I use Microsoft Office 365 Home downloaded from the Microsoft Store.
As archiver I use Bandizip that keeps the mark of the web.

 

[Zemana]

Lots of people in their 2020 configurations have Windows Defender Firewall as their main Firewall like yours Gandalf. However, when I turn on my real-time protection Norton, it says in Windows Defender setting that the firewall is now Norton. Should that happen? What is better Windows Defender Firewall or Norton Smart Firewall?

 

[oldschool]

Should that happen?

Yes, because you have Norton which includes its own firewall?

 

[shmu26]

Like @oldschool said, full Antivirus suites such as most versions of Norton Security include their own firewall, and they turn off Windows firewall. That is fine, Norton firewall is good.
Many forum members do not use full Antivirus suites, so that's why they are using Windows firewall.

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Inspired by the config of @silversurfer : SECURE: Complete - silversurfer Laptop Security Config 2020
I decided to see what config worked the best on my laptop:
Windows Defender (with ConfigureDefender at High)
Ziggo Safe Online (F-Secure Safe (free from my ISP))
Kaspersky Security Cloud Free
For me, Kaspersky Security Cloud Free is the lightest on my system at the moment while still offering very good protection.
Replaced (maybe temporarily) uBlock Origin with AdGuard for adding Googles Safe Browsing to the mix.

 

[oldschool]

How dare you, you heretic! Abandoning the greatly beloved WD - and @Andy Ful too! What shame!

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

How dare you, you heretic! Abandoning the greatly beloved WD - and @Andy Ful too! What shame!

Still using Hard_Configurator and DocumentsAntiExploit form @Andy Ful

 

[Andy Ful]

I would wish well @Gandalf_The_Grey even if he did not use H_C.
In fact, he probably does not need it to be safe.

 

[Outpost]

Configure Defender for Windows Defender is not useless since Kaspersky Security Cloud Free has been installed?

 

[Andy Ful]

Sometimes I ask myself if H_C can be useful for protecting the computers of MT members, because it was never the primary goal of H_C. It is possible, that anyone who can use it and understand how it works, in fact, does not need it anymore to protect his/her computer and can start to use it to protect family/friends computers.
H_C can be also useful as a kind of educational tool to understand some important features of Windows security.

 

[Andy Ful]

Configure Defender for Windows Defender is not useless since Kaspersky Security Cloud Free has been installed?

It is useless, so @Gandalf_The_Grey uses H_C without using ConfigureDefender.

 

[Outpost]

Sorry, but from his penultimate post he seemed to be using them both. Obviously I misinterpreted.

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Sorry, but from his penultimate post he seemed to be using them both. Obviously I misinterpreted.

Sorry for not being clear enough.
I tried 3 kinds of config on my laptop.
1) Window Defender with ConfigureDefender on high.
2) Ziggo Safe Online
3) Kaspersky Security Cloud Free
Config 3 worked the best for me on this laptop.
All 3 configs were with Hard_Configurator for added security and O&O ShutUp10 for added privacy.

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Sometimes I ask myself if H_C can be useful for protecting the computers of MT members, because it was never the primary goal of H_C. It is possible, that anyone who can use it and understand how it works, in fact, does not need it anymore to protect his/her computer and can start to use it to protect family/friends computers.
H_C can be also useful as a kind of educational tool to understand some important features of Windows security.

I have learned so much using your tools and discussing issues/blocks and still don't know enough to have the confidence to do all manually.
And why should I? Your tools are very useful to harden windows and configuring Windows Defender. It's so much easier than doing it manually and do not forget the logging is very useful for solving issues and blocks. Again many thanks from me.

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Trying out the new Hard_Configurator 5.0.0.1 beta.
Replaced Bandizip with Explzh because of the advertisements in the free version of Bandizip.
Explzh keeps the mark of the web.
Because I can only use uBlock Origin and LastPass on my work and I want to keep my configurations as much the same as possible I ditched AdGuard and Bitwarden.
Enabled 2FA with the Microsoft Authenticator app for my Microsoft, Google, Twitter, PayPal and LastPass account.

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Got a new HP OfficeJet Pro 9015 All-in-One Printer this weekend:

https://store.hp.com/us/en/pdp/hp-officejet-pro-9015-all-in-one-printer

Unfortunately I couldn't get scanning over wifi to my laptop to work with Hard_Configurator at recommended settings.
And I couldn't find any blocks in the logs to help me troubleshoot that problem.
So I removed Hard_Configurator but kept ConfigureDefender, DocumentsAntiExploit and RunBySmartscreen.
I added SysHardner (recommended settings) and VoodooShield (AutoPilot Mode).
Now everything works fine.

 

[oldschool]

I added SysHardner (recommended settings) and VoodooShield (AutoPilot Mode).
Now everything works fine.

Nice!

 

[stefanos]

I added SysHardner (recommended settings)

Simple and without to search for tweaks. Is forever in my systems

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Simple and without to search for tweaks. Is forever in my systems

Good idea
NoVirusThanks SysHardener for security
O&O ShutUp10 for privacy

 

[Andy Ful]

Got a new HP OfficeJet Pro 9015 All-in-One Printer this weekend:

https://store.hp.com/us/en/pdp/hp-officejet-pro-9015-all-in-one-printer

Unfortunately I couldn't get scanning over wifi to my laptop to work with Hard_Configurator at recommended settings.
And I couldn't find any blocks in the logs to help me troubleshoot that problem.
So I removed Hard_Configurator but kept ConfigureDefender, DocumentsAntiExploit and RunBySmartscreen.
I added SysHardner (recommended settings) and VoodooShield (AutoPilot Mode).
Now everything works fine.

It was not probably blocked by SRP default-deny, but by one o the hardening restrictions (from the right panel) or by one of FirewallHardening rules. HP printers use HTA scripts, and if mshta.exe outbound connections are blocked the Wi-Fi features may not work properly. Anyway, you did not need the H_C to be safe.