Advanced Security oldschool's cheapo laptop configuration

[oldschool]

Maybe you can save them in a user.js file to backup all the settings for yourself and share the user.js aka about:config changes that you made

Not sure how to go about that. Any direction would be appreciated.

 

[SeriousHoax]

Not sure how to go about that. Any direction would be appreciated.

It's simple. You create a user.js file in your Firefox profile folder (eg: C:\Users\*UserName*\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\****.default-release) and fill it with changes that you wanna make to your Firefox. Every/almost every setting of Firefox can be configured via about:config. There are even many hidden flags that are not even present in about:config that can be used via the user.js configuration.
By default, Firefox has a file named pref.js file in the profile directory, where it keeps all its configurations. This file should never be tampered with. But for users, Firefox gives us the option to have our own config file which is this the user.js file. It's not present in the folder by default. You have to create it by your own. Any changes present in the user.js file is automatically put into pref.js file by Firefox.
So instead of having to change your about:config flags manually, you put your changes into the user.js file and it will work the same. Later let's say if you want to remove multiple about:config flags then you just remove it from your user.js file. If you want to restore to stock settings excluding browser data, you simply delete the user.js file from Firefox profile instead of changing all flags manually from about:config. So, it's a simple way to personalize your Firefox.
You can paste this user.js file into some other PC's Firefox profile folder and you will have your settings in that Firefox in a second. So it's an easy way to personalize and backup your Firefox preferences/settings/configurations. Directly making changes to about:config makes that change permanent and saves it into pref.js but changes made via user.js will work as long as the file is present in the profile directory.
I lost my enriched user.js file like 2 years ago and didn't make one again until last night. I made some not too harden changes here initially. Might add more later if necessary. You can have a look at this to have an idea. I even put this in alphabetical order, similar to the pref.js file. Any preference you're not familiar with, just do a google search or any other search engine to know what it does.

AnythingWindows/user.js at main · SeriousHoax/AnythingWindows

Windows Configuration tools and other useful items - SeriousHoax/AnythingWindows

github.com

 

[oldschool]

Thanks @SeriousHoax !

 

[oldschool]

Just for kicks, I'm on the bus to Finland, trialing F-Secure based on all the comments, tests by @upnorth,@Shadowra and others. Extremely easy install, low memory usage, fast web surfing and good for my 8GB RAM 8th Gen Intel i3 laptop. I especially like how easy they make installation of the web extension. Really good for noobs and non-technical, average users. So for now, F-Secure gets the @oldschool simplicity seal of approval.

 

[Digmor Crusher]

Yup, its simple, effective and light and updates in mere seconds.

 

[simmerskool]

Yup, its simple, effective and light and updates in mere seconds.

...and I changed the VMware_config (processor) in Guest vm win10 22H2 running FS SAFE and this vm seems even more quickly responsive than the Host. For sure this is due in part to SAFE. I can't prove it, I just know it's true.

 

[ForgottenSeer 97327]

@oldschool soon @Shadowra will soon test Defender in MAX-protection mode, so I hope the bus-trips has some planned stops along the way. You might want to return soon

 

[Jan Willy]

Yup, its simple, effective and light and updates in mere seconds.

It looks like MS Defender.

 

[oldschool]

@oldschool soon @Shadowra will soon test Defender in MAX-protection mode, so I hope the bus-trips has some planned stops along the way. You might want to return soon

You're always good for a chuckle. I'm only giving it a trial so far, but there's always another bus to catch!

 

[Moonhorse]

I'm on the bus to Finland

If you really were i would take you on coffee

 

[Pat MacKnife]

Just for kicks, I'm on the bus to Finland, trialing F-Secure based on all the comments, tests by @upnorth,@Shadowra and others. Extremely easy install, low memory usage, fast web surfing and good for my 8GB RAM 8th Gen Intel i3 laptop. I especially like how easy they make installation of the web extension. Really good for noobs and non-technical, average users. So for now, F-Secure gets the @oldschool simplicity seal of approval.

Also check for processes called withsecure, one has about 400 MB ,but it feels light on the system.

 

[oldschool]

Also check for processes called withsecure, one has about 400 MB ,but it feels light on the system.

4 withsecure processes total less than 40MB total right now. No big deal as I'm still seeing less total usage system-wide.

 

[Pat MacKnife]

I think its all about RAM the more you got the more RAM it uses, i have the same thing with Bitdefender, it goes from 350 MB to 800 MB on my system (with 16 GB Ram), on my wife's laptop BD only use 150 MB to 370 MB (with 12 GB RAM)
F-secure safe uses about 400 MB (withsecure proces) on my system)

 

[CyberTech]

If you really were i would take you on coffee

Coffee only? at least two donuts he's worth it

 

[oldschool]

Back to MS Defender since F-Secure was silently blocking the extraction of a new version of one of my programs, a recent beta release of Mindfulness at the computer. Simplicity and usability are important @oldschool principles.

 

[Dave Russo]

Back to MS Defender since F-Secure was silently blocking the extraction of a new version of one of my programs, a recent beta release of Mindfulness at the computer. Simplicity and usability are important @oldschool principles.

Hi Oldschool, Took a quick look at Mindfulness at the computer, ,interesting concept are you just checking this out? Do you give it a recommendation and hope I'm not being to pushy where did you find or hear about

 

[Divine_Barakah]

Back to MS Defender since F-Secure was silently blocking the extraction of a new version of one of my programs, a recent beta release of Mindfulness at the computer. Simplicity and usability are important @oldschool principles.

It used to block IDM updates.

 

[oldschool]

It used to block IDM updates.

I was able to download the installer Zip, but extracting it resulted in an empty folder. No alert from FS, and didn't see it blocked in any of the modules.

Hi Oldschool, Took a quick look at Mindfulness at the computer, ,interesting concept are you just checking this out?

Nope. I've been using the previous Alpha versions for quite some time. The creator just released a Beta version.

Do you give it a recommendation

Yes. I like it. It's simple, uses Windows notification to alert the user, who can then invoke a breathing dialogue by clicking on the alert., and the breathing diaologue graphics are tastefully done. It grets the @oldschool seal of approval.

Python users may install with the Python package, otherwise one may use the Windows Zip package and place the folder anywhere you like. I put it in C: Programs(86).

MS Defender and/or Smartscreen will block the download and other AVs may block it one way or another since it so new.

where did you find or hear about

At GitHub - humanetech-community/awesome-humane-tech: Promoting Solutions that Improve Wellbeing, Freedom and Society via the earlier gHacks Firefox user.js, which later morphed into 4.1 Extensions · arkenfox/user.js Wiki

 

[ForgottenSeer 97327]

I was able to download the installer Zip, but extracting it resulted in an empty folder. No alert from FS, and didn't see it blocked in any of the modules.

Have you tried right-click the ZIP-file and remove the MOTW?

 

[oldschool]

Have you tried right-click the ZIP-file and remove the MOTW?

Nope. I uninstalled FS.