Rolo's Config

[Rolo]

My last malware was over a decade ago; that question needs more options.

I have never paid for security products; there isn't a need to and I have better things to do with my cash. The argument that retail products have to be better because why would they charge for something that isn't better? is a false assumption.

Tested but didn't make the cut
- Avast free: Intrusive ads, false-positives, slightly declining detection rates and seems to have gotten slower

- Avira free: Ads

- Qihoo 360: Far too many false-positives; otherwise a near-perfect product

- Comodo Internet Security: sub-par AV, buggy, misleading UI and manual, requires more interventions than every *-Addicts-Anonymous member combined

- TinyWall: Is very nice and does a pretty good job and what it's for but outbound firewalls aren't of much use and they certainly aren't worth the constant nagging (which TinyWall is worse as it doens't prompt you; you have to whack-a-mole the traffic list which only goes back 2 minutes)

- Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit: interfered with AV scanning, false positives, redundant and unnecessary as I'm not running Windows XP (seems to be fixed now, not sure what the deal was, trying out free version but still question my need for it)

- Malwarebytes Anti-Malware in real-time: I ran this for about a year and it is pretty much redundant with everything else I have running now and I actually read installation dialog boxes before clicking buttons

- AdBlock: Works well but it is slow
- uBlock/uBlock Origin: My second choice; the broke a site or two
- AdGuard: I saw AdChoice ads!?!?!? (Don't use CCEnhancer Chrome Logs* option)

- Smarty Uninstaller: It didn't detect changes in my test, it doesn't have a shell menu extension, and the interface isn't as nice as Soft Organizer. I would choose it if Soft Organizer weren't available for free at a giveaway (I got both as give-aways)

- Emsisoft Antimalware: It looks nice and--big plus here--is serious about detecting PUPs. I wanted to see if there was a scaled-down free version but I only saw a 30-day trial.

- Multi-Commander: Nice but a bit slow and crashes with some shell extensions; I'm sticking with XYplorer (free)

- Norton DNS "ConnectSafe": I don't have a problem with a reasonable rate of false-positives but I do have a problem with not having an option to continue in spite of the warning.


My quick AV test:
http://malwaretips.com/threads/quick-file-detection-test-qihoo-vs-avast-vs-comodo.47091/

Hardware:
Intel Core i5-2500K @ 4.2GHz at stock voltages
Zalman 9900 cooler (round one, nickel finish with blue lighting)
Gigabyte Z68XP-UD4 motherboard
8GB Mushkin DDR3-2133MHz (2x4GB)
Asus TI-DC2O-2GD5 GTX660Ti GPU
Crucial m4 128GB SSD
Western Digital Black 2TB HDD WD2002FAEX
Seagate Green 2TB 5900RPM (backup drive)
A Couple Of DVD Burners, Lite-ON or something
Enermax Galaxy EVO 1250W power supply
Antec Twelve Hundred case
Dell Professional 27-inch monitor
Dell Professional 24-inch monitor (portrait)
Logitech G19 keyboard
Logitech G13 game-board
Logitech G9x mouse
Logitech F710 Xbox controller
APC BR1500 UPS (I get about 20 mins or so)
Wife has same desktop in an Antec Nine-Hundred Two case, one monitor

Gaming Laptop:
MSI GT70 Dominator 2PC
17.3" display
Intel i7-4800MQ CPU * 8GB DDR3-1600 * Samsung 850 EVO 250GB SSD
GTX 870M GPU
Integrated SteelSeries keyboard
Logitech Anywhere MX wireless mouse

 

[Piteko21]

good config, you are building a fortress
I will recomend add other browser just in case...

what you think about Qihoo protection?

I think replace Eset for Qihoo when windows 10 arrive...
thanks for share your config

 

[Rolo]

I honestly didn't expect much from Qihoo other than solid detection rates (with Bitdefender and Avira engines running) but it has a spiffy HIPS and BB that's pretty smart: it will inform you when changes to startup entries, browser home page, etc. occur but it will prompt you when something really questionable occurs (unsigned, unfamiliar program modifying a sensitive area). It also has a sandbox feature but I don't think it is auto-sandbox beyond what entries you manually put into it.

It will also scan USB storage root immediately on plugin and has a nifty status popup with easy "open folder" and "safely remove" buttons.

None of these features are forced; everything is configurable.

I like Chrome; I can customise it and I use Google's other services (drive, docs, Android and Chrome on it). I only use IE for my wife's Amazon Prime login so I don't have to log out of my Amazon in Chrome. (I can buy stuff with Prime but I can't view media with it...pretty dumb actually.)

I can't see having a use for Edge but we'll see. The reading mode is neat but I don't read mass media.

Oh, I forgot to mention in my profile there that everything is free.

 

[Exterminator]

Looks good!! Thanks for sharing your config

 

[Ink]

- AdBlock: Works well but it is slow
- AdGuard: I saw AdChoice ads!?!?!?

AdGuard allows "Acceptable Ads" by default, http://malwaretips.com/threads/effe...uard-adblocker-on-chrome-firefox-opera.26389/

AdBlock on the otherhand offers no whitelisted Ads, you are in control.

 

[Rolo]

heh..."Acceptable ads"...that's like, "Acceptable losses".

Aw nuts...I had it right and I re-enabled the "acceptable ads" by mistake. Back to AdGuard! (thanks for pointing that out, @Huracan )

 

[jamescv7]

Oh well none I can see anything wrong on your protection, Qihoo 360 is totally good with all engines or in house only when activated;

For Avast well; performance yes it will varies due to components type but you can custom them and leave File Shield + Web Shield; Hardened Mode for such effective blocking against unknown files; of course expect incorrect alerts but a little maintenance for exemption.

So goes also to CIS, the powerful tweaks are from the components of Autosandbox, BB and HIPS; Comodo AV is fine but they rely very much on active hooking process.

 

[Rolo]

I dropped Avast initially due to it blowing up VirtualBox (was a mistake on their part that was fixed) and I switched to Bitdefender Total Security becuase I got 15-month free giveaway and it's "the best" after all, right?

Bitdefender was the final straw on how I know mass media (incl. the big AV testers) are bunk. BDTS was garbage and with far more dangerous bugs than Comodo (bugs that leave one's system less secure than out-of-the-box Windows Defender). Forums like these aside, people who develop and people who test really don't use said products. Qihoo gives me the AAA engine without the F-minus bugs.

Anyway, I have no problem with Avast (it is still on my wife's computer until it gets Win10) and, until recently, I installed it on most of my acquaintances/clients machines. Until now since Qihoo has better detection and won't blow up if you don't re-register like Avast requires (I know it's easy and takes like 3 seconds but we're talking stupid busy users here. Every malware removal I've done had a lapsed subscription of a well-known retail product installed.)

Unrelated note, I added my uninstaller program of choice. It is handy and it gives me an x-ray of exactly what installed what--like Logitech installing that Bonjour garbage with it's keyboard/controller/mouse software.

 

[Deleted member 178]

Approved by staff

 

[hjlbx]

I have never paid for security products; there isn't a need to and I have better things to do with my cash. The argument that retail products have to be better because why would they charge for something that isn't better? is a false assumption.

I agree... there is no need to pay for security softs. There are enough freebies to cobble together a config that is adequate for typical, reasonable use.

Although, Shadow Defender, AppGuard and BiniSoft Windows Firewall Control are well worth the price... at least to me.

 

[Rolo]

I got ShadowDefender 1.2 for free It was pretty spiffy (no idea if that old version will run on Win10) but VirtualBox/Hyper-V obviated my need for it.

I was tempted with BiniSoft...but I'm really liking GlassWire...it's sublte and not disruptive or jarring. The IP/FQDN/National Flag are nice.

 

[Rolo]

I neglected to mention TrueCrypt for the laptop, which has the same setup as the desktop.

 

[King Alpha]

Glasswire uses a lot of resources, right?

 

[Rolo]

So far it hasn't, < 50MB and 0.12-0.2% CPU avg

Comparitively, my Logitech drivers use 0.8% avg

 

[JM Safe]

Hello, for me it is a perfect config, congrats, and there's nothing to add. Thanks for sharing it

 

[Rolo]

AdGuard allows "Acceptable Ads" by default, http://malwaretips.com/threads/effe...uard-adblocker-on-chrome-firefox-opera.26389/

OK I found the culprit blowing up my AdGuard (I wasn't completely daft after all):
After running CCleaner with CCEnhancer's Google Chrome Logs option enabled, my Adguard quit blocking ads; un-/re-installing AdGuard restores it.

 

[Rolo]

My trusty WinOptimizer 11 works on Win10, so I popped that back on. I namely use it for background and boot defrag, checking SMART data, occasional cleanup (though I haven't tested it against CCEnhancer yet). It is regularly given away like some of their other products.

I had to switch the laptop to BitLocker since TrueCrypt prevented new builds from installing (no decryption in pre-installation environment). I like BitLocker better since I can disable the password prompt when not mobile.

I added my hardware config to my original post.

 

[Antar36]

Very strong config. Thank for sharing

 

[Rolo]

http://sharewareonsale.com/shop
WinOptimizer 11 Giveaway as well as BDTS

 

[Rolo]

Added Belarc Security Advisor (free) to both Windows and Android