- Feb 25, 2017
- 2,585
No slow launch on my side but as I said in return I get a quick crash.
Kongo's Computer Security Config 2024
- Thread starter Kongo
- Start date
- Last updated
- Jul 17, 2024
- How it's used?
- For home and private use
- Operating system
- macOS 15 Sequoia
- 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
WhitelistCloud
- 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
- ANY.RUN
- Triage
- Kaspersky Threat Intelligence Portal
- Neiki.Dev
- ThreatZone
- UnpacMe
--> Currently I am barely testing
- Browser(s) and extensions
-
ㅤ
Mozilla Firefox v. 132.0.0
Extensions:
- Ghostery
- SafeToOpen
- 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
-
ㅤ
- NextDNS with DoH + OISD blocklist (Firefox exclusively)
- Unbound DNS (Network-wide)
ㅤ
- Desktop VPN
-
Proton VPN with Secure Core, NetShield and Permanent Kill Switch
- Password manager
-
ㅤBitwarden Premium
- Maintenance tools
-
PatchMyPC, RuckZuck, UpdateHub, HiBit Uninstaller and Windows built in tools for cleaning and optimization
- File and Photo backup
-
ㅤbackup to external drive when necessary
- 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
- 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.
- Feb 25, 2017
- 2,585
Quick Update for @blackice and others: After the update to v.87 of Firefox no more crashes occur. Maybe I was wrong and it wasn't caused by Sophos.
- Feb 25, 2017
- 2,585
Thinking about trying a Cylance + Comodo Firewall combo for some time, what do you guys think?
- Apr 1, 2019
- 2,868
Hey, if you have the appetite for experimentation, why not?
- Feb 25, 2017
- 2,585
Thats exactly the reason why I want to try this. It's getting boring to never see Sophos in action, at least Comodo will give me some popups and Cylance will give me some false positives to deal with.
- Apr 1, 2019
- 2,868
The funny thing is I find it interesting to see protection in action, but I don’t actually want to. And other than a website block, I’ve never seen an AV do anything. I’m a boring surfer.Thats exactly the reason why I want to try this. It's getting boring to never see Sophos in action, at least Comodo will give me some popups and Cylance will give me some false positives to deal with.
- Feb 25, 2017
- 2,585
Exactly, sometimes I wish I'd be a clueless grandma that clicks on phishing links and scam popups 24/7...
- Feb 25, 2017
- 2,585
- replaced Sophos Home Premium with G DATA Internet Security
- removed FirewallHardening
- removed FirewallHardening
- Aug 27, 2020
- 446
I take my words back(in a way), Drivereasy is 10 times better & faster to provide relevant updates.
- Apr 1, 2019
- 2,868
What enticed you to G DATA?
- Feb 25, 2017
- 2,585
The fact that I was too lazy to cancel my subscription so I thought that I could take it as a backup. And because Sophos was making problems with the new Adguard version and prevented it from filtering. In the end G Data is a great security solution in my opinion, and worth trying.
- Dec 30, 2012
- 4,809
It certainly is and has a very good BB
- Feb 25, 2017
- 2,585
I was bashing it for their subscription policy, but the program itself is great protection-wise and since a few updates also performance-wise. Didn’t have much time to tweak the settings, thats the first thing imma do after work.It certainly is and has a very good BB
- Feb 25, 2017
- 2,585
- Feb 25, 2017
- 2,585
- I set pdfjs.enableScripting in about:config to false to prevent JavaScript attacks in Firefox.
- Feb 25, 2017
- 2,585
- switched from NextDNS to ControlD within Firefox
Last edited:
- Feb 25, 2017
- 2,585
Quite a lot of changes... 
- replaced G Data Internet Security with Microsoft Defender (with Andy's tools)
- removed Kerish Doctor 2021 (using Windows built in cleaner now)
+ added HitmanPro.Alert
+ removed HitmanPro (already integrated into HMPA)
- replaced G Data Internet Security with Microsoft Defender (with Andy's tools)
- removed Kerish Doctor 2021 (using Windows built in cleaner now)
+ added HitmanPro.Alert
+ removed HitmanPro (already integrated into HMPA)
- Apr 24, 2016
- 7,259
Why HitmanPro.Alert?
I think now that Erik Loman has quit, development is slow and I'm not sure of its added value.
Sophos in the HUB (contains parts of HitmanPro.Alert) wasn't that good if I remember correctly.
I think now that Erik Loman has quit, development is slow and I'm not sure of its added value.
Sophos in the HUB (contains parts of HitmanPro.Alert) wasn't that good if I remember correctly.
- Feb 25, 2017
- 2,585
I mean HitmanPro.Alert isn't a standalone product and it actually was the good part about Sophos. The Anti-Ransomware module is pretty good and the software itself is so light that you won't even notice it. I purchased HitmanPro.Alert some time ago and will use it until the subscription runs out or if I am facing any problems, but for now I will see how it performs.
- Feb 25, 2017
- 2,585
- back to NextDNS as ControlD slowed down browsing a little.
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