Advanced Plus Security Kongo's Computer Security Config 2024

Last updated
Feb 25, 2024
How it's used?
For home and private use
Operating system
Windows 11
On-device encryption
BitLocker Device Encryption for Windows
Log-in security
    • Hardware security key
Security updates
Allow security updates and latest features
Update channels
Allow stable updates only
User Access Control
Always notify
Smart App Control
Off
Network firewall
Enabled
About WiFi router
- Speedport Smart 4
- Firewalla Blue +
Real-time security
Deep Instinct Endpoint Protection
Firewall security
Microsoft Defender Firewall with Advanced Security
About custom security

Hardening tools:
- Firewall Hardening (blocking outbound connections of LOLBins)
- Run by SmartScreen (forces SmartScreen to scan files of choice)

- STOP/DJVU Ransomware Vaccine (immunizes system against this type of ransomware)
- O&O ShutUp10 (recommended settings)
- O&O AppBuster (removed unecessary Windows 11 apps)
- Windows Sandbox



System settings:
- Microsoft Defender running in sandbox (inactive)
- Reputation Based Protections (all modules enabled)
- Smart App Control enabled

- Data Execution Prevention set to AlwaysOn
- Core Isolation: Memory Integrity enabled
-
Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced Stack Protection enabled
- Secure Boot enabled
- Drives encrypted via TPM (BitLocker)
- Windows Update Delivery Optimization disabled
- AutoPlay disabled
- Network Discovery disabled (Public Firewall profile)
- PowerShell --> Constrained Language Mode
- Hide extensions for known file types --> disabled
- Show hidden files --> enabled

- Virtualization enabled (allows Application Sandboxing)
- Custom Exploit Protection Settings for Firefox:
Code:
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

Thanks to @oldschool for sharing! :)

ㅤㅤㅤHardware Firewall (Firewalla Blue Plus):
- Active Protect (Strict)
- Ad Block (Strict)
- OISD blocklist enabled in Firewalla
- New Device Quarantine (restricted internet access for newly connected devices)

- Geo-IP Filtering (blocking connections from and to Russian + Chinese IPs)
- Unbound DNS enabled for all devices
‎‎‎ㅤ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎
Periodic malware scanners
Norton Power Eraser, X-Sec and AdwCleaner
Malware sample testing
I do participate in malware testing. See details about my testing environment below.
Environment for malware testing
‎‎‎ㅤㅤㅤ
VMware Workstation Player + Mullvad VPN on host machine while connected to the guest network.

Online Malware Analysis Platforms that I use:


- FileScan.iO
- Intenzer Analyze
- Hybrid Analysis
- VirusTotal
- Sophos Intelix
- Valkyrie
- ANY.RUN
-
Triage
- Kaspersky Threat Intelligence Portal
-
Docguard.iO
- PolySwarm
- Yomi
- Neiki.Dev
- ThreatZone
- UnpacMe


--> Currently I am barely testing
Browser(s) and extensions

Mozilla Firefox v. 123.0.0

Extensions:
- uBlock Origin Lite
- Netcraft

- Bitwarden


Browser privacy and security settings:
- Tracking protection: Strict (enables Total Cookie Protection)
- Enable secure DNS using: Max Protection
- HTTPS-only-mode enabled
- DuckDuckGo set as search engine
- Pocket disabled
- Sending DNT-requests disabled (enabling makes you more identifiable and barely gives any advantage on most sites.)
- Clearing browsing data on exit
- Search suggestions disabled
- Websites overview disabled
- Blocking incoming location, camera and microphone requests
- AutoPlay for audio and video disabled
- Firefox telemetry disabled (also in about:config)
- Blocking pop-ups
- Warn when websites try to install addons enabled
- Protection against fraudulent content and dangerous software enabled



about:config tweaks:
- network.dns.echconfig.enabled =
true
- network.dns.use_https_rr_as_altsvc = true
- fission.autostart = true
- pdfjs.enableScripting =
false
- network.IDN_show_punycode = true
- security.ssl.require_safe_negotiation = true

- geo.enabled = false
- webgl.disabled = true
- network.trr.mode =
3 (NextDNS)

ㅤㅤ
Secure DNS

- NextDNS with DoH + OISD blocklist (Firefox exclusively)
- Unbound DNS (Network-wide)


Desktop VPN
Proton VPN with Secure Core, NetShield and Permanent Kill Switch
Password manager
Bitwarden Premium
Maintenance tools
PatchMyPC, RuckZuck, UpdateHub, HiBit Uninstaller and Windows built in tools for cleaning and optimization
File and Photo backup
backup to external drive when necessary
Active subscriptions
    • Google One Standard 200GB
System recovery
Aomei Backupper
Risk factors
    • Browsing to popular websites
    • Browsing to unknown / untrusted / shady sites
    • Opening email attachments
    • Buying from online stores, entering banks card details
    • Downloading software and files from reputable sites
    • Sharing and receiving files and torrents
    • Gaming
    • Streaming audio/video content from shady sites
    • Downloading malware samples
Computer specs
GPU: Nvidia Geforce RTX 360 TI
CPU: Intel I5 12600K
RAM: 16 GB DDR4-3200 Crucial
Hard disks: 500 GB Samsung 970 EVO Plus + 1 TB Western Digital Blue
Notable changes
- Updated for year 2024
What I'm looking for?

Looking for minimum feedback.

silversurfer

Level 85
Verified
Honorary Member
Top Poster
Content Creator
Malware Hunter
Well-known
Aug 17, 2014
10,057

first I've heard of it... :unsure:

Highly recommended, I am using RuckZuck since two years after @harlan4096 suggested this software to me (y)
 

plat

Level 29
Top Poster
Sep 13, 2018
1,793
Highly recommended, I am using RuckZuck since two years after @harlan4096 suggested this software to me

Thank you so much! I was curious about it, so I d/l the portable and it actually found an update to an obscure software used to find bulky useless files. Installed it also, a big plus. And that would be WinDirStat! Good job, RuckZuck!

Sorry Kongo, hope it's OK that I comment on your thread.
 

Kongo

Level 35
Thread author
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Feb 25, 2017
2,481
What was your reason for doing so?
While it is a good and useful extension I am not sure if it is really needed.
Less is more in regards of the number of installed extensions.
I am really satisfied with my config at the moment, but I just felt like my web-protection could be slightly better. I was only relying on NextDNS for web-protection, and it truly doesn't offer the best phishing protection out there. But you know me, I will probably remove it in a couple of days again anyway. 😄
 

piquiteco

Level 14
Oct 16, 2022
626
I am really satisfied with my config at the moment, but I just felt like my web-protection could be slightly better.
I'm like you and sometimes install even unnecessary extensions, now recently I did a cleanup, left only the necessary but I kept the netcraft for a reason when I receive an email phishing I report and them and they check and responded quickly. Many people do not like Netcraft, because they say that privacy is a little murky, but the protection against site phishing is excellent followed by Bitdefender (TrafficLight) and Malwarebytes Browser Guard. (y)
 

simmerskool

Level 31
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Apr 16, 2017
2,094
- set Firefox Secure DNS level to "Max"
+ added PolySwarm to Malware Analysis platforms

Incentivized Threat Detection​

Unlike in any other multiscanner, in PolySwarm there is money at stake: threat detection engines back their opinions with money, at the artifact level (file, URL, etc.), and are economically rewarded and penalized based on the accuracy of their determinations. The following process is automated and is executed by software (engines) in near real time.
 

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