Advanced Plus Security Minimalist's Security Config 2022

Last updated
Sep 12, 2022
Main use of this computer
For home and private use
Operating system
macOS 15 Sequoia
On-device encryption
Device sign-in security
    • Windows Hello PIN or biometric sign-in (face / fingerprint / Touch ID)
Security updates
Check for updates and Notify
User Account Control (UAC)
Always notify
Smart App Control
Network firewall
Enabled
Real-time protection
Eset Nod32 Antivirus
Device firewall
Microsoft Defender Firewall
Custom security settings
Macrium: Image Guardian is enabled and configured
Periodic malware scanners
HitmanPro
Norton Power Eraser
Malware sample testing
I do not participate in malware testing
Browsers and extensions
Firefox with uBlock Origin
Desktop VPN
Mullvad
Password and passkey manager
KeePass
Maintenance tools
CCleaner and ShutUp10
File and photo backups
Daily backup using Macrium Reflect and weekly backup to external disk and to Icedrive
System recovery
Macrium Reflect Home
Usage and exposure
    • Visiting familiar websites
    • Visiting unknown or untrusted websites
    • Working from home
    • Opening email attachments
    • Online shopping and card payments
    • Logging into my bank account
    • Downloading software and files from reputable sites
    • Sharing and receiving files and torrents
Computer specs
HP EliteDesk 800 G5 TWR
• Intel Core i7-9700 CPU @ 3.00GHz
• Intel UHD Graphics 630
• DDR4 32 GB @ 2667 MHz
• 2x 500 GB SSD + 4TB HDD
Notable changes
1.1.2022 - original post
3.2.2022 - added IceDrive for online backup
AVs used and tested during 2022: Eset, Emsisoft, Bitdefender, AVG
20.8.2022 - decided to go with Eset
Feedback preference

Only essential issues, please

I liked it a lot. Not sure if you play games. The only downside I found was it reproducibly did reduce high frame rates a bit ~8%.
No I don't play games so I don't expect to have this problem.
I installed only main protection components and so far it's really light. It also offers just enough settings to tweak it's protection (y)
 
I am using AVG Internet for 2 weeks now and it's excellent. Super light. Easy to configure. Dark mode option. Persistently top-tier results at testing organizations such as AV-Comparatives.
It's light on my system also. It's only slowing down my shutdown/reboot process.
I believe that dark mode is not optional but instead it's only mode available? Or did I miss some setting?
 
Eset's products run lightest on my system in default configuration. Still I decided to configure it to be even lighter. So I made those changes:

Installed Eset Nod32 AV instead of IS.
Detection engine - Reporting for Malware and Suspicious application set to Aggressive
Real-time file system protection - disabled options Scan on file open and creation, left on execution
Process exclusions - added Macrium Reflect backup process to list
Livegrid Feedback system disabled, Reputation system enabled
HIPS - set to Smart mode
HIPS - added rules from [KB6119] Configure HIPS rules for ESET business products to protect against ransomware (8.x – 9.x) (Ask mode)
Web and Email - excluded Firefox from protocol filtering
Email Client protection - Cleaning set to always ask end-user
Few changes in User interface and Notifications
 
May I ask:
Why this setting : "Web and Email - excluded Firefox from protocol filtering"
I don't like my AV to perform scanning on network level. By excluding my browser network traffic from FF is not scanned. It also slightly improves browsing speed but OTOH it slightly lowers protection level.
 
Few days ago had another case of Emsisoft service hogging one CPU core for longer period of time. It usually happened during software updates and similar but this time IDK what caused it.
Since they decided to focus on enterprise market I decided that I will switch to Eset.
I would suggest that you contact support and provide them with the logs they need. In my case Emsisoft's support was very helpful.
 
I would suggest that you contact support and provide them with the logs they need. In my case Emsisoft's support was very helpful.
It would probably be hard to pinpoint what happened since I don't know how to reproduce it. I've had similar problem before with a2start consuming CPU but I knew how to reproduce it. Not this time. Having logging enabled for longer period of time, hoping that problem will reappear is not something I want to do.
I agree that their support through mail is helpful but I still miss their forum.
It's not a big deal for me since I like Eset also.
 

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