Advanced Plus Security oldschool's Security Config

[oldschool]

We switched our ISP to a Net Neutrality ISP and I needed to replace the provided McAfee. I did a lot of research and came up with this configuration for our older laptop. I've been very happy with this set-up and had only a slight learning curve with TinyWall and VoodooShield. Sophos has been very easy to live with but has developed a slight bug lately - incorrect Last Scan Date reporting. All clean so far!

 

[frogboy]

I would like to suggest either Macrium Reflect or Aomei Backupper forcreating system images. Both have a free and reliable version you could use.

 

[Dhruv2193]

Just follow frogboy's suggestion for backup and you have a secure config!

 

[oldschool]

I would like to suggest either Macrium Reflect or Aomei Backupper forcreating system images. Both have a free and reliable version you could use.

Thanks for the direction. But, about my config: I see threads about Andy Fuls configure Defender and am wondering if WD + CD on my system would provide more protection than what I have currently. My old machine is simply for surfing, some photos, docs, music. Very basic. Any thoughts?

 

[JM Safe]

Just follow suggestions about backups.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[show-Zi]

Protection is a preventive injection, backup is like a recovery medicine. Recently, Windows Update seems to be an unreliable threat, so it is reassurance to keep recovering medicine on hand.

Thank you for sharing

 

[oldschool]

4/11/18 UPDATE:

Switched from Sophos Home Free to Windows Defender + ConfigureDefender (High setting).
Switched from Tinywall (which I really like for its simple elegance!) to Commodo Firewall 10 + CruelSister Variation.
Added Macrium Reflect Free for image backup.
Also now using uBlock Origin in Advanced User Medium Mode.

I uninstalled MBAM because the updated version with Realtime Trial was making Sophos unhappy. I will try reinstalling once I'm a bit more familiar with this new setup. The new configuration seems to be easy on my machine - i3 2.53GHz 8MB RAM DDR3 Lenovo laptop. WD made a bit of a fuss installing CF but it's all up and running. I like it and the bit of a learning curve should be fun! Thanks for all your help!

Edit: Re-installed Malwarebytes Antimalware

 

[bribon77]

Looks good. Thanks for sharing

 

[oldschool]

Just uninstalled CCleaner as I kept getting flags from Commodo Firewall and WD Controlled Folder Access. This occurred over a couple of days as I was installing VirusTotal uploader and cleaning browser history, etc..

Today I booted up as usual with my user account and all icons including browsers in task bar were GONE! I signed out of User Account and into Admin Account and found an unusual Zip file on the desktop! I checked Properties which looked suspicious & ran it in CF container, then reset container, forgetting to upload to VT first. (Duh!) Restarted computer and User Account task bar icons back to normal. Most everything seems OK. But, a couple of "unknown" files are greyed out and disabled in Commodo Killswitch.

Now using Bleachbit exclusively and clearing Edge in browser settings. I never had issues before changing from my old configuration. Any help out there for this new member?

 

[mekelek]

something slipped through CS Comodo? damn..

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

To be 100% sure that you're not infected I would post in Malware Removal Assistance For Windows

 

[oldschool]

something slipped through CS Comodo? damn..

If something slipped through, it slipped through USER! Thanks, I'll re-post.

 

[RoboMan]

Just uninstalled CCleaner as I kept getting flags from Commodo Firewall and WD Controlled Folder Access. This occurred over a couple of days as I was installing VirusTotal uploader and cleaning browser history, etc..

Today I booted up as usual with my user account and all icons including browsers in task bar were GONE! I signed out of User Account and into Admin Account and found an unusual Zip file on the desktop! I checked Properties which looked suspicious & ran it in CF container, then reset container, forgetting to upload to VT first. (Duh!) Restarted computer and User Account task bar icons back to normal. Most everything seems OK. But, a couple of "unknown" files are greyed out and disabled in Commodo Killswitch.

Now using Bleachbit exclusively and clearing Edge in browser settings. I never had issues before changing from my old configuration. Any help out there for this new member?

I would suggest a few tests with Process Explorer and AutoRuns to check everything is normal, and scan the system and AppData folder with a couple of portable anti-malware. My robotic feeling tells me it's probably some normal bug, but let's just be sure...

 

[mekelek]

If something slipped through, it slipped through USER! Thanks, I'll re-post.

but i thought the whole porpuse of CS Comodo is that everything is sandboxed and the user really can't mess up too bad.

 

[oldschool]

I would suggest a few tests with Process Explorer and AutoRuns to check everything is normal, and scan the system and AppData folder with a couple of portable anti-malware. My robotic feeling tells me it's probably some normal bug, but let's just be sure...

I'll need to download Process Explorer. Don't know AutoRuns. Scanning with ZAM now. Don't currently have any portables. "...my robotic feeling..." I like that!

 

[RoboMan]

I'll need to download Process Explorer. Don't know AutoRuns. Scanning with ZAM now. Don't currently have any portables. "...my robotic feeling..." I like that!

Portable Anti-Malware programs:

HitmanPro Malware Removal Tool: Secondary Anti-Virus Scanner | Download HitmanPro 3.7
Norton Rescue Tools
Zemana - AntiMalware and AntiLogger Protection

Useful tools:

Autoruns for Windows - Windows Sysinternals
Process Explorer - Windows Sysinternals

 

[oldschool]

but i thought the whole porpuse of CS Comodo is that everything is sandboxed and the user really can't mess up too bad.

I'm new to CF + CS settings. And I'm an average user - no real technical knowledge. That's why I'm here.... When I had Sophos Home Free + TinyWall I had no problems that I couldn't bump my way through.....

 

[oldschool]

@RoboMan - I'm already there.

 

[ZeroDay]

So something got through an SUA and CS Comodo? User error maybe? Because that's a lot of protection to get through.

 

[mekelek]

I'm new to CF + CS settings. And I'm an average user - no real technical knowledge. That's why I'm here.... When I had Sophos Home Free + TinyWall I had no problems that I couldn't bump my way through.....

Don't get me wrong i'm not attacking you or anything, i'm just wondering how can something escape the auto-sandboxing of CF, especially if it's CS settings.
I guess you put something out of sandbox or your browser isn't sandboxed?