Hangtooth's Config

[Hangtooth]

No real problems atm. Finally caved in and upgraded my Win 7 to Win 10 yesterday. Just looking around reading a lot to test/replace various software tools.

 

[bunchuu]

based on my experience, webroot isn't enough since its rely on cloud protection (in case there is problem with our internet connection), I suggest you add full fledge antivirus (eset, bitdefender, avast, Kaspersky, etc) to enhance your protection.

 

[Exterminator]

WSA can be run alongside anything.You can use a Security Suite or a free AV with it.
Windows 10 built in Security(defender,UAC,Smartscreen & Firewall) & WSA,which I assume that is what you are using now,is a decent option and probably the lightest.I might consider putting UAC on always notify
You could also consider Sandboxie or another Sandbox
+1 for Adguard and everything else looks good!
Thanks for sharing your config

 

[void011]

Webroot does have offline database though not fully as when connected to cloud. In this case, its Identify protection still works well; if the machine gets infected, Webroot has ability to rollback infected files back to their clean ones.
You'd better keep Webroot since you have licenses for 3 devices (may add other free AVs as exterminator20 suggested)
Considering add Lastpass as password manager.

 

[Deleted member 178]

Approved by Staff

if you play with malwares, use a VM like Virtual Box.

 

[Hangtooth]

Thanks for the tips, it is appreciated. I've only had Webroot a couple weeks now and am still keeping an eye on it to see if stuff is sneaking through. I did a trial month of Emsisoft prior to trying Webroot, and liked it, but Webroot actually feels lighter on my system, which it should be as it does not have the same depth of protection. I was hoping Emsi would go on sale for Cyber Monday,. as $100 Canadian for 2 licenses for a year seems kind of steep when there are so many free or lower priced alternatives. The Canadian dollar is on the ropes atm. I got the Webroot 3 licence deal for $30 US so I figured I'd try that first, and if my machine explodes by Xmas maybe Emsi will have a sale!

As for most of my passwords, I find it funny when I forget them and even I can't remember where I scribbled them. Luckily they are all pretty resettable/retrievable these days. Webroot also comes with an online password manager through the web console, which I see as a nice bonus and also a sneaky ploy to keep you resubscribing so you don't lose all your passwords.

For the low risk stuff I do - checking dodgy TV streaming sites and links so my wife doesn't set her machine on fire, I have even in the past gotten away with just running MSE and MBAM Pro in conjunction along with poor old Winpatrol that doesn't seem very flashy anymore.

It's great that I stumbled across your forums, I find MalwareTips better run than some of your counterparts that I will not name, and you are blessed with some truly selfless helpful people here as members that I took a shine to while lurking. I think it was Umbra that sold me on Webroot even though he just toys with it =)

Like anything else in life, things are constantly evolving so I try not to get too attached to products, as something better often comes along, interest is lost in maintaining software, businesses get sold or adopt shady business practices. I am always eager to hear about software tools I haven't heard about yet and this seems a great place for that.

 

[Deleted member 178]

I think it was Umbra that sold me on Webroot even though he just toys with it =)

hehehe

in fact i finally decided to keep it ; i think it is the only AV i will ever use now, even if i dislike real-time signature-based protection

Like anything else in life, things are constantly evolving so I try not to get too attached to products, as something better often comes along, interest is lost in maintaining software, businesses get sold or adopt shady business practices. I am always eager to hear about software tools I haven't heard about yet and this seems a great place for that.

check my config thread , you have plenty (especially in the Anonymity section)

 

[Hangtooth]

Nice! I am hoping Webroot plays nicely for me and is a keeper. I only ever stopped using my last paid AV (ESET) as it caused unfixable (for me after several format/reinstalls) hangs on startup for my wife's machine. I like sticking with a known product but sadly that makes me complacent and I end up missing out on a lot of perhaps better solutions that I never notice.

Your config looks great and it constantly evolves, which is commendable. I just don't get too upset about online anonymity anymore as any info collected on me would be pretty boring and futile. I don't really do anything that I could get in trouble for. I only use paid or open source software. I am not rich so no point trying to extort me. I am almost of a mind to see just how much info Win 10 can tabulate on me. I don't think they will know what to do with the data they collect anyway and will end up swamped with useless info =)

 

[Deleted member 178]

after i installed WIn10 the first thing i do is block the telemetry modules with Spybot Anti-Beacon. i know my privacy softs will not stop spying but at least it will make it difficult to the unauthorized eyes

 

[DracusNarcrym]

Very interesting config! It's well-rounded and light.
The backup application is one of the best, as well. Make sure you have at least one clean system image to restore your system from when all else fails.

@Umbra I, personally, blocked all the Telemetry services/modules manually, and the telemetry remote addresses using COMODO Firewall's "Blocked Zones" (found under "Network Zones"). I have found some registry tweaks to further disable Telemetry, however I have only attempted them on my testing machines.

 

[Hangtooth]

Considering add Lastpass as password manager.

After reading some other glowing reviews about Lastpass, I am giving it a whirl, thanks very much void011!

 

[frogboy]

After reading some other glowing reviews about Lastpass, I am giving it a whirl, thanks very much void011!

A good choice.

 

[Hangtooth]

after i installed WIn10 the first thing i do is block the telemetry modules with Spybot Anti-Beacon

Thanks again, Umbra, Spybot Anti-Beacon installed and guarding what is left of my dignity.. I mean privacy.

 

[DracusNarcrym]

@Hangtooth Very good choice of a password manager.
I would like to suggest KeePass as a very capable, free, open-source alternative to LastPass, with extremely powerful security measures and great stability/reliability. The thing with a password manager being open source, is that anyone can inspect its code to see if it is malicious in any way, and if they still don't trust the software, they can compile it by themselves using a known safe version of the source code, which they trust.
I have been using it ever since I first started using registered accounts in online websites, and it has never failed me. I would undoubtedly recommend it to anyone, and as such I believe you should give it a try!

 

[Hangtooth]

Good advice, DracusNarcym, I had not heard of KeePass either, I tend to prefer open source products myself because of the reasons you stated so aptly, so I will definitely check it out. Just a quick google shows me there are definite privacy concerns with LastPass, but folks still use them for the convenience. Almost makes me wish I stuck to scribbling them on post-it notes =)

 

[DracusNarcrym]

Good advice, DracusNarcym, I had not heard of KeePass either, I tend to prefer open source products myself because of the reasons you stated so aptly, so I will definitely check it out. Just a quick google shows me there are definite privacy concerns with LastPass, but folks still use them for the convenience. Almost makes me wish I stuck to scribbling them on post-it notes =)

LastPass was actually breached in the past. Plus, it's proprietary technology. It's like online hosting services, which host files.
It's a hosting service specifically for passwords (though no data was stolen). And it's online. That's why I prefer KeePass, personally.

I still keep my most important passwords in pieces of paper. You can never be too sure. Also, storing passwords on pieces of paper is not as dangerous as it is branded to be.

 

[Hangtooth]

My problem is my wife and I share accounts on most things, so I have to make it easy to keep both computers updated with the latest passwords and accounts. Lastpass definitely has the edge there in ease of use, but you're right, it comes at the cost of web data breaches or even unscrupulous business practices by the makers of LastPass. KeePass seems the secure choice, but Lastpass is just so tempting for our situation. I'll think on it for a few days, I seem to take days to decide the simplest thing lately.

 

[DracusNarcrym]

My problem is my wife and I share accounts on most things, so I have to make it easy to keep both computers updated with the latest passwords and accounts. Lastpass definitely has the edge there in ease of use, but you're right, it comes at the cost of web data breaches or even unscrupulous business practices by the makers of LastPass. KeePass seems the secure choice, but Lastpass is just so tempting for our situation. I'll think on it for a few days, I seem to take days to decide the simplest thing lately.

LastPass truly is much more usable, due to the its online sync functionality. The fact that it syncs passwords and makes them available across all devices authorized by the user, makes LastPass extremely convenient.
KeePass of course has also its advantages, which I mostly outlined in my previous post.
Personally, judging from the last pieces of information you shared with us in your most recent post in this thread, I'd recommend that you actually try LastPass because it can be a more general solution, as it meets the demands of the situation (password availability across devices and generally the secure storage of passwords).

 

[Hangtooth]

Reinstalled: WinPatrol because I missed it barking when something changed things... But more honestly because it's still the tool I am most comfortable with at quickly changing/tweaking startup processes and services.

Added: Zemana Antimalware Free as an on demand scanner.

 

[Hangtooth]

Uninstalled and being returned for a refund tomorrow: Webroot SecureAnywhere - too many false positives to bother trying any longer

Real-time protection now now W10 Defender + Malwarebytes Antimalware Pro paid lifetime.

Any suggestions for what av to try next? Eset hates my wife's hardware so sadly it's out. Webroot is also out of the running.

Is there a super duper primarly antivirus (instead of antimalware) solution I could run alongside MBAM Pro and MBAE Free that wouldn't be overkill? I really like MBAM Pro but it seems to be overkill with so many products now covering malware as well...