Make your video test requests!

Here's the ESET Folder Guard settings that I currently use on my PC.
ESET.jpg
 
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devjitdutta2025 said:
That’s actually a great idea. In this way, we can reward Shadowra with a small fee for the help and assessment he would offer to us. His tests are a great way to test the real world performance and protection of an AV suite.
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Thank you for not taking it the wrong way, it wasn't personally directed towards you, even though I quoted your post :)
 
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Jonny Quest said:
Thank you for not taking it the wrong way, it wasn't personally directed towards you, even though I quoted your post :)
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No hard feelings bro. And being an old member, I know how tirelessly Shadowra tests all the different AV’s just so that we can have a better understanding of their strengths and their weaknesses and can take our decisions accordingly.
 
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@Shadowra , A request for a showdown "CyberLock vs. Hard_Configurator."

Could you test them on user-friendliness vs. pure effectiveness? I feel like CyberLock offers that 'commercial, human-friendly' UX, whereas H_C feels strictly like a server admin tool. I’d love to see a deep dive on which one creates the best experience for both average and advanced users.
 
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Divergent said:
@Shadowra , A request for a showdown "CyberLock vs. Hard_Configurator."

Could you test them on user-friendliness vs. pure effectiveness? I feel like CyberLock offers that 'commercial, human-friendly' UX, whereas H_C feels strictly like a server admin tool. I’d love to see a deep dive on which one creates the best experience for both average and advanced users.
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This could prove interesting, however not sure how you can quantify user friendliness as it would vary from user to user dependent on their experience using tools like these. So Shadowra's opinion on this would be just that, one persons opinion, whereas effectiveness can be shown using different types of tests. In any case I would look forward to his results.
 
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Digmor Crusher said:
This could prove interesting, however not sure how you can quantify use friendliness as it would vary from user to user dependent on their experience using tools like these. So Shadowra's opinion on this would be just that, one persons opinion, whereas effectiveness can be shown using different types of tests. In any case I would look forward to his results.
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It should be noted that all tests performed here represent the personal opinions of the tester. Given the inherent risks associated with real-world testing, a method most reviewers avoid, these results are subjective. The goal of this comparison is to determine suitability, is this product best for the average user, the advanced enthusiasts here at MT, or is it geared more toward server administrators?
 
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Digmor Crusher said:
This could prove interesting, however not sure how you can quantify user friendliness as it would vary from user to user dependent on their experience using tools like these. So Shadowra's opinion on this would be just that, one persons opinion, whereas effectiveness can be shown using different types of tests. In any case I would look forward to his results.
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I'm familiar with and have tested CyberLock, Hard_Configurator, and Comodo for usability; I'd say the easiest, or set-and-forget type, is @Andy Ful's Hard_Configurator. Protection-wise, these programs, or any default-deny/smart-deny, are effective.

Hard_Configurator's design for security and usability, or balanced protection, makes it set & forget for most users; the smart blacklist/whitelist, the unique and easy-to-use SmartScreen feature, and the well-thought-out recommended settings and overall setup—Hard_Configurator, Configure Defender, and Firewall Hardening with recommended settings—will complete a year this April on three of our family members' systems with no blockings or problems using installed programs or updating them, and installing new programs with Install By SmartScreen. The only blockings I had were .csv/Excel files; whitelisting them worked.

The mentioned programs or default-deny setups require at least basic know-how of the setups to use them. I wouldn't recommend the mentioned programs to average users or users with zero knowledge of them.

They say some Comodo and CyberLock users are dangerous... I'll just allow @Shadowra to climb new heights of danger—leave the verdict to his test results—keep me safe! 😊

@Shadowra, if you'll also test the programs for usability, please include Comodo for the showdown if it's workable and if @Divergent is okay with it.
 
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rashmi said:
I'm familiar with and have tested CyberLock, Hard_Configurator, and Comodo for usability; I'd say the easiest, or set-and-forget type, is @Andy Ful's Hard_Configurator. Protection-wise, these programs, or any default-deny/smart-deny, are effective.
Hard_Configurator's design for security and usability,

The mentioned programs or default-deny setups require at least basic know-how of the setups to use them.
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@rashmi, I like @AndyFul's apps, but I find Cyberlock the easiest: download, run & leave it at default settings... (fwiw) (& CL tweaks are relatively simple imo)
 
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Parkinsond said:
Compared to HC? may be, but compared to WHHL?
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I have used WHHL, I think it is running on a win10_VM -- as to whether WHHL (setup fairly easy) provides protection equal to Cyberlock I cannot say -- I have been a long-time user of Voodooshield n/k/a Cyberlock. maybe @Shadowra will answer that question :)
 
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simmerskool said:
I don't recall toggling anything in Cyberlock... or I did so long ago I no longer recall, CL seems to remember it's settings after a reboot / app update. :cool:
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Never used CL before, but indeed MS cloud is larger than that of CL; it's not K or Norton/Avast or ESET or B or even McAfee with all their resources to consider relying on its cloud.
 
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simmerskool said:
@rashmi, I like @AndyFul's apps, but I find Cyberlock the easiest: download, run & leave it at default settings... (fwiw) (& CL tweaks are relatively simple imo)
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You install CyberLock, click next, next..., enable/disable WhitelistCloud, and choose your preferred AutoPilot or Smart Mode. Similarly, you install Hard_Configurator, click yes, yes..., and choose your preferred Hide or Show "Run As Admin" setting.

I find @Andy Ful's Hard_Configurator closer to the set-and-forget type than CyberLock or Comodo.

Hard_Configurator's "Locations," or system space whitelisting, offers superior usability to CyberLock's snapshot and Comodo's Trusted Vendor List; your installed programs, including updates/new versions, work with no blockings, while you'd see alerts/blockings with CyberLock and Comodo.

Hard_Configurator's "Install By SmartScreen" or Microsoft cloud backend is larger than CyberLock and Comodo, providing enhanced usability; you'd not see blockings when installing a new program once "Install By SmartScreen" approved it, while you may see further alerts/blockings with CyberLock and Comodo.

Hard_Configurator Tools (Hard_Configurator, Configure Defender, and Firewall Hardening); the careful or smart adjusted design/settings keep the usability intact, providing a familiar experience and better layered security; a trusted malware or a malware using trusted services (Comodo whitelist) can end the game for Comodo, and a user may allow a CyberLock alert irrespective of the verdict (locking alerts would certainly affect usability), but Hard_Configurator blocks what/where it's configured to block (the smart whitelisting/adjusted settings help with usability and security).
 
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rashmi said:
You install CyberLock, click next, next..., enable/disable WhitelistCloud, and choose your preferred AutoPilot or Smart Mode. Similarly, you install Hard_Configurator, click yes, yes..., and choose your preferred Hide or Show "Run As Admin" setting.

I find @Andy Ful's Hard_Configurator closer to the set-and-forget type than CyberLock or Comodo.

Hard_Configurator's "Locations," or system space whitelisting, offers superior usability to CyberLock's snapshot and Comodo's Trusted Vendor List; your installed programs, including updates/new versions, work with no blockings, while you'd see alerts/blockings with CyberLock and Comodo.

Hard_Configurator's "Install By SmartScreen" or Microsoft cloud backend is larger than CyberLock and Comodo, providing enhanced usability; you'd not see blockings when installing a new program once "Install By SmartScreen" approved it, while you may see further alerts/blockings with CyberLock and Comodo.

Hard_Configurator Tools (Hard_Configurator, Configure Defender, and Firewall Hardening); the careful or smart adjusted design/settings keep the usability intact, providing a familiar experience and better layered security; a trusted malware or a malware using trusted services (Comodo whitelist) can end the game for Comodo, and a user may allow a CyberLock alert irrespective of the verdict (locking alerts would certainly affect usability), but Hard_Configurator blocks what/where it's configured to block (the smart whitelisting/adjusted settings help with usability and security).
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You are looking at "usability" through a very narrow lens, specifically, day-to-day silence,while completely ignoring remediation friction.

Hard_Configurator (The Brick Wall).

Because it uses native Windows features like Software Restriction Policies (SRP), it doesn't have a custom, user-friendly alert system. When an app is blocked, Windows throws a generic, often terrifying OS-level error message, such as: "This program is blocked by group policy. For more information, contact your system administrator." There is no "Allow" button. There is no context. To the average user, the app is simply broken.

CyberLock / Comodo (The Speed Bump).

These solutions rely on active monitoring and their own GUIs. Yes, they interrupt the user's workflow with a popup, which can be annoying. However, that popup contains the solution. It tells the user exactly what was blocked and provides an immediate "Allow" or "Unblock" button.
 
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