Advanced Plus Security Protomartyr's ThinkPad Security Config 2020

[Protomartyr]

This is my current security config for my ThinkPad Yoga.

Any tips/suggestions to improve/streamline my setup would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Protomartyr]

Updated:
- HTTPS Everywhere - Disabled the 'Encrypt All Sites Eligible' option

Removed:
- Firefox

The behavior of 'Encrypt All Sites Eligible' in the HTTPS Everywhere Chrome extension auto blocks an HTTP site with no option to add it as an exception. This contrasts to how it behaves in Firefox where it gives you an option to open the HTTP site temporarily or add it as an exception permanently.

I removed Firefox as I will be switching to Chromium Edge once it comes through Windows Update.

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Updated:
- HTTPS Everywhere - Disabled the 'Encrypt All Sites Eligible' option

Removed:
- Firefox

The behavior of 'Encrypt All Sites Eligible' in the HTTPS Everywhere Chrome extension auto blocks an HTTP site with no option to add it as an exception. This contrasts to how it behaves in Firefox where it gives you an option to open the HTTP site temporarily or add it as an exception permanently.

I removed Firefox as I will be switching to Chromium Edge once it comes through Windows Update.

You can download it yourself, no need to wait

Here's how Microsoft will roll out the new Edge browser

After over a year since it was originally announced, Microsoft released its Chromium-based Edge browser today. It's going to roll out gradually, but if you want it, you can get it now.

www.neowin.net

 

[Protomartyr]

Added:
- Macrium Reflect Free
- Microsoft Edge (Chromium)

Removed:
- Spybot Anti-Beacon

Windows Backup and Restore stopped working when I tried to make my monthly system image backup today. Decided to finally make the switch to Macrium Reflect Free. I've made my rescue media and done my first full image backup. Later this week, I might try to restore from today's image to become more familiar with the restoration process.

Microsoft Edge (Chromium) is my backup browser and I quite like it. I haven't installed any extensions just in case I have trouble viewing websites in Chrome that has all my extensions enabled.

Spybot Anti-Beacon stopped re-immunizing at restarts. Decided to remove it.

 

[oldschool]

Microsoft Edge (Chromium) is my backup browser and I quite like it. I haven't installed any extensions

Use built-in tracking protection on "Strict".

 

[Protomartyr]

Decided to restore from the full image backup I made with Macrium Reflect Free a couple days ago. Everything went smoothly.
How-To Geek has an easy to follow guide which is what I used to become familiar with the backup/restore process.

How to Create a Full-Disk Backup of Your PC with Macrium Reflect

Microsoft announced that System Image Backups will be deprecated in Windows 10’s Fall Creators Update. The feature is still available, but it is no longer actively being developed and may be removed in a future release of Windows 10. Instead, Microsoft recommends you use a third-party tool to...

www.howtogeek.com

Some thoughts I had during the process:

• The interface for Macrium Reflect took a bit getting used to.
• My computer has two SSDs (one reserved for the system; the other for documents and media). Both Windows Backup and Restore and Macrium Reflect save the full image backup containing both drives as a single file. However, when restoring from the image in Macrium Reflect you are only able to restore one drive at a time. Windows Backup and Restore is able to restore both drives in one go. It's not a problem. Just something that I thought was odd. Macrium Reflect's ability to differentiate drives in a full image backup and giving you the option of restoring individual drives does add more flexibility since with Windows Backup and Restore it's either all or nothing.
• The backup and restore process took about the same time as it did when I was using Windows Backup and Restore. Keep in mind that I only do full image backups. It's a lot faster when doing differential/incremental backups.
• Macrium Reflect allows you to add a Macrium Reflect System Recovery menu option to the boot menu. By doing this you can restore an image without the need of rescue media. See 'Adding a Boot Menu option for system Image recovery' for more info.

Overall I'm liking Macrium Reflect and I am glad I finally made the switch.

 

[koloveli]

In browsers: https everywhere, noscript;
in Secure PC: Comodo internet security and keyscrambler (keyscrambler windows 10 insider problem in updates);
Browser: firefox, icedragon, chrome, comodo dragon and vivaldi;
backup: I don't take it so seriously
Do not share your passwords

Sorry, I think we shouldn't take life so seriously

 

[Outpost]

in Secure PC: Comodo internet security...

Reading the words " Security" and "Comodo" in the same phrase, I get hives.

Browser: firefox, icedragon, chrome, comodo dragon...

Why propose the originals and their worst copies?

backup: I don't take it so seriously

Bad! Very bad

 

[Protomartyr]

Cleaned up the original post and added links to the programs I use.

Added the following programs to System Utilities but will not add them to the changelog. I had these programs on my computer but forgot to add them in initially.

• NetSpeedMonitor - runs silently in the systray detailing your current download and upload speeds. I use it to monitor fluctuations in my network.
• WifiInfoView - scans the wireless networks in your area and displays extensive information about them. Helpful to find hidden networks. Used it to gain access to the IP cameras that were installed by the previous owners of the house I moved in to.
• Wireless Network Watcher - small utility that scans your wireless network and displays the list of all computers and devices that are currently connected to your network.

 

[Protomartyr]

Removed:
- Privacy Badger

Privacy Badger wasn't blocking anything additional so decided to rely on just uBlock Origin with my filter lists.

 

[HarborFront]

I'm not seeing that you have VirtualBox in your config?

 

[Protomartyr]

Forgot to include it. It's now under the System Utilities section. Thanks!

 

[Protomartyr]

Changed:
- Switched from CleanBrowsing DNS to Cloudfare DNS (Malware Blocking)

Cloudfare's DNS servers resolve a lot faster for me compared to CleanBrowsing.

 

[Protomartyr]

Added:
- Bitdefender TrafficLight to Edge
- uBlock Origin to Edge

Removed:
- Netcraft Extension

 

[LDogg]

Solid setup, great work here!

~LDogg

 

[blackice]

Added:
- Bitdefender TrafficLight to Edge

Do you have smartscreen disabled in edge?

 

[Protomartyr]

Do you have smartscreen disabled in edge?

I have SmartScreen enabled. I completely forgot about it being included in Edge which is why I added TrafficLight.
I'll just leave TrafficLight on since I do like Bitdefender's products and feel like using the extension is my token of appreciation for their product.

 

[Protomartyr]

Removed:
- Auto-lock computer when idle (registry tweak)

I'm usually pretty good at making sure I lock my laptop when I leave to do something but I've been forgetting lately. Decided to set my computer to auto-lock after being idle for 10 minutes. You can do this on Windows 10 Pro edition but not on the Home edition since there's no access to the Local Security Policy feature. To get around this, I just had to add a new DWORD value named InactivityTimeoutSecs and set it to 600 seconds. Got the job done!

Sadly it seems this isn't working anymore. No idea why.

 

[CyberTech]

actually thats story of my life when i leave home i was like ''did i lock the PC ? um should i go back to home? ughh* lol i know i always lock the PC by Win+L when i left PC im sure its always lock, when i leave but me worry that i forget to lock it what if someone check my PC haha you just posted that remind me of the auto-lock thanks

 

[blackice]

Maybe try a short sleep time and lock on wake?