Advanced Security oldschool's surfing laptop configuration

Last updated
Nov 20, 2024
How it's used?
For home and private use
Operating system
Windows 11
Other operating system
Windows Pro
On-device encryption
N/A
Log-in security
    • Biometrics (Windows Hello PIN, TouchID, Face, Iris, Fingerprint)
Security updates
Allow security updates
Update channels
Allow stable updates only
User Access Control
Always notify
Smart App Control
Off
Network firewall
Enabled
About WiFi router
Provided by ISP
Real-time security
Windows Security
Firewall security
Microsoft Defender Firewall
About custom security
MS Defender - Default | ASR rules | Platform & Engine Beta channel updates
All system-wide Exploit Protections enabled, plus these for Edge & Chrome.
Firewall Hardening
RunBySmartscreen
Windows Spy Blocker
Periodic malware scanners
NPE
Malware sample testing
I do not participate in malware testing
Environment for malware testing
N/A
Browser(s) and extensions
Chrome | Privacy Badger | Brave Search
Edge | Privacy Badger | Brave Search | Surf profile & secure profile
Chrome flags | Edge flags
Secure DNS
Quad9 DNS
Desktop VPN
None
Password manager
Maintenance tools
Windows built-in
File and Photo backup
Copy/Paste
Subscriptions
    • None
System recovery
Aomei Backupper Pro Lifetime - Primary
Wiindows Backup & Restore- Secondary image backup
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
Computer specs
Lenovo L340 Intel(R) Core(TM) i3-8145U CPU @ 2.10GHz 2.30 GHz 16GB RAM 500GB SSD 1TB HDD
Notable changes
22-12-5 Reverted to MS Defender.
23-1-21 Refreshed Windows with SAC in evaluation mode.
23-2-2 Clean Windows installation
23-2-18 SAC user-enabled on
27-2-23 Added Chrome for the lack of 'feature' bloat.
28-2-23 Changed default browser to Chrome
24.2.24 Refreshed Windows and re-enabled Smart App Control
5.7.24 Performed a repair installation via Windows Update. Nice & easy!
6.10.24 Updated to 24H2 OS build 26100.1882
10.10.24 Rolled back to 23H2 due to bugs & performance
16.10.24 Added Chrome browser. Privacy Badger listed as main extension, but I also keep µBO, JShelter and Local CDN installed, not enabled.
What I'm looking for?

Looking for minimum feedback.

SeriousHoax

Level 49
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Mar 16, 2019
3,868
I don't know 🤔
Firefox have had smooth scrolling long before any chromium browser. At this moment, I can't tell the difference in general browsing but if I test Firefox & Chrome's scrolling side by side then it seems Firefox's scrolling speed is slightly quicker when I scroll little by little to read the comments on this thread. The difference is so minimal.
 
F

ForgottenSeer 103564

I can't tell the difference in general browsing but if I test Firefox & Chrome's scrolling side by side then it seems Firefox's scrolling speed is slightly quicker when I scroll little by little to read the comments on this thread. The difference is so minimal.
This was exactly what i was thinking. Unless you are flat out one of the fastest speed readers on the planet, i doubt any of it would make that much of a difference. I do not know anyone that continuously scrolls in a steady fashion quickly while reading and able to actually absorb what they are reading that would need to enhance the speed and smoothness of scrolling to that extent.
 

Jonny Quest

Level 22
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Mar 2, 2023
1,155
Have you tried any of the older methods described in the link? 🤔
I saw in a previous link that it was pretty much impossible to do as well as there isn't a regedit Windows Desktop Search path anymore (from that link). I just always got a kick out of the dog and the wizard in XP, and thought this guy yelling about wanting the dog back, needing to get the dog back, was funny :)
 

oldschool

Level 85
Thread author
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Mar 29, 2018
7,698
How's that going? I'm still using uBO in Medium mode in Edge but I have needed to add more exception rules lately to get some streaming etc to work so thinking maybe uBOL or maybe Privacy Badger since you've mentioned it recently.
It's perfect for my limited use of Edge, used mostly for secure logins on my important sites.

I like that it's maintained by more than one dev.
 
Last edited:

oldschool

Level 85
Thread author
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Mar 29, 2018
7,698
I have needed to add more exception rules lately to get some streaming etc to work so thinking maybe uBOL or maybe Privacy Badger since you've mentioned it recently.
I should have added that µBOL or Privacy Badger should work fine to avoid those issues, especially the latter since it's focused on tracking and only blocks ads inadvertently.
 

Arequire

Level 29
Verified
Top Poster
Content Creator
Feb 10, 2017
1,822
I never liked the idea of Privacy Badger, it is like using heuristics vs verified signatures. It is guessing and never really worked for me. Though it is an interesting approach dealing with Manifest V3.
PB stopped using heuristics back in 2020 due to it allowing an attacker to fingerprint and extract data from its users. You can still enable it if you so choose, but it's disabled by default and instead uses a filter list now.
 

TairikuOkami

Level 37
Verified
Top Poster
Content Creator
Well-known
May 13, 2017
2,685
PB stopped using heuristics back in 2020 due to it allowing an attacker to fingerprint and extract data from its users.
Maybe someone should tell them that, since it is PB's selling point. It definitely does not fill me with confidence. :D
 

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