Advanced Plus Security oldschool's config 2021

Last updated
Dec 5, 2021
How it's used?
For home and private use
Operating system
Windows 10
On-device encryption
Log-in security
Security updates
Allow security updates and latest features
User Access Control
Always notify
Smart App Control
Network firewall
Real-time security
Microsoft Defender
Firewall security
About custom security
ConfigureDefender @ modified Max
TinyWall v. 3.2.3 + Windows Firewall
Periodic malware scanners
EEK
HitmanPro Free
Malware sample testing
I do not participate in malware testing
Browser(s) and extensions
Edge
strict tracking prevention
Privacy Badger
Brave search

Firefox
strict tracking | total cookie protection
µBO hard mode
Brave search
Privacy features enabled via internal settings only for usability Firefox Privacy or: How I Learned to Stop Hardening and Love Strict Tracking Protection

Brave
Brave shields @ aggressive + per-site switches
Brave search
All internal privacy settings enabled
Secure DNS
Quad9 DOH
Desktop VPN
None
Password manager
Brain.exe
Little Black Book
Maintenance tools
Windows built-in
File and Photo backup
External - Free Agent drive
System recovery
Aoemi Backupper
Restore points - weekly scheduled task
Risk factors
    • Browsing to popular websites
    • Opening email attachments
    • Buying from online stores, entering banks card details
    • Downloading software and files from reputable sites
    • Streaming audio/video content from trusted sites or paid subscriptions
    • Streaming audio/video content from shady sites
Computer specs
Lenovo l340 i3 8145U CPU @ 2.10 GHz 2.300 GHz 8GB DDR4 RAM 1 TB HDD
Notable changes
7-1-21 Updated config as above
7-10-21 Switched out µBO & ClearURLs for Trace
7-13-21 Switched ClearURLs for Trace in Brave
7-16-21 Updated config as above - Edge as main browser
7-18-21 Brave uninstalled
7-21-21 Reverted to µBO as sole extension in browsers.
Updated Firefox search engines
Replaced Adguard DNS with Cloudfare DNS
8-24-21 Replaced µBO with Privacy Badger
8-28-21 Configured three browsers for compartmentalization
8.30.21 Back to µBO hard mode all three browsers
9.29.21 Back to Microsoft Defender and NextDNS
10.1.21 Added VoodooShield Pro
11.11.21 Removed VoodooShield & added TinyWall. Switched to Trace from µBO in Edge.
12.5.21 Replaced Trace with Privacy Badger
12.20.21 Reverted to Firefox internal settings only.
What I'm looking for?

Looking for medium feedback.

oldschool

Level 81
Thread author
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Mar 29, 2018
7,044
2021 Configuration details above + Simple Windows Hardening.

Edit: No ClearURLs in Brave because its ETag filtering doesn't work in Chromium. Brave has some built-in protection against URL tracking and referers, and disables Hyperlink Auditing.
 
Last edited:

Kongo

Level 35
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Feb 25, 2017
2,481
2021 Configuration details above + Simple Windows Hardening.

Edit: No ClearURLs in Brave because its ETag filtering doesn't work in Chromium. Brave has some built-in protection against URLs tracking and referers, and disables Hyperlink Auditing.
Great config. Maybe you should consider purchasing an Adguard Lifetime license which can replace ClearURLs in both browsers and add some nice extra features like encrypted custom DNS etc.
 

SeriousHoax

Level 47
Well-known
Mar 16, 2019
3,630
Great config. Maybe you should consider purchasing an Adguard Lifetime license which can replace ClearURLs in both browsers and add some nice extra features like encrypted custom DNS etc.
I think his current config is faster. Adguard is much slower than built in adblockers/extension based adblockers + extensions like ClearURLs. Adguard will also consume some extra CPU power. Besides, he's also using NextDNS, so he got most things covered.
 

ErzCrz

Level 21
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Aug 19, 2019
1,004
Nice setup! Undecided still on my 2021 setup myself. Used mostly H_C this past year but with a recent Comodo release I've been having a fresh go at that but we'll see. Free options still the way I'm going.

Anyway, I digress, well done one the new setup for the year! I must check out Brave browser and ClearURLs again if going down the non H_C Route.

Merry xmas
 

blackice

Level 38
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Apr 1, 2019
2,731
I got the opposite and more false positves. That's why i switch to NextDNS
@oldschool just wants to let the Russians know what he’s up to these days :ROFLMAO:. But, seriously what kind of speed difference are you seeing? I visit the same sites for the most part so most of my dns kid is cached a lot of the time. Cloudflare is leaps and bounds faster than anyone, but they occasionally are having issues, especially resolving my work IPs for our corporate VPN. May go back to Quad9 which is slower. But anything is better than Comcast injecting ads.
 

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