- May 30, 2015
- 277
Kongo's Computer Security Config 2024
- Thread starter Kongo
- Start date
- Last updated
- Feb 25, 2024
- How it's used?
- For home and private use
- Operating system
- Windows 11
- On-device encryption
- BitLocker Device Encryption for Windows
- Log-in security
-
- Hardware security key
- Security updates
- Allow security updates and latest features
- Update channels
- Allow stable updates only
- User Access Control
- Always notify
- Smart App Control
- Off
- Network firewall
- Enabled
- About WiFi router
-
- Speedport Smart 4
- Firewalla Blue +
- Real-time security
-
Deep Instinct Endpoint Protection
- Firewall security
- Microsoft Defender Firewall with Advanced Security
- About custom security
-
Hardening tools:
- Firewall Hardening (blocking outbound connections of LOLBins)
- Run by SmartScreen (forces SmartScreen to scan files of choice)
- STOP/DJVU Ransomware Vaccine (immunizes system against this type of ransomware)
- O&O ShutUp10 (recommended settings)
- O&O AppBuster (removed unecessary Windows 11 apps)
- Windows Sandbox
System settings:
- Microsoft Defender running in sandbox (inactive)
- Reputation Based Protections (all modules enabled)
- Smart App Control enabled
- Data Execution Prevention set to AlwaysOn
- Core Isolation: Memory Integrity enabled
- Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced Stack Protection enabled
- Secure Boot enabled
- Drives encrypted via TPM (BitLocker)
- Windows Update Delivery Optimization disabled
- AutoPlay disabled
- Network Discovery disabled (Public Firewall profile)
- PowerShell --> Constrained Language Mode
- Hide extensions for known file types --> disabled
- Show hidden files --> enabled
- Virtualization enabled (allows Application Sandboxing)
- Custom Exploit Protection Settings for Firefox:
Code:Block low integrity images - ON Block remote images - ON Block untrusted fonts - ON Control flow guard (CFG) - ON Data execution prevention (DEP) - ON + Enable thunk emulation - CHECKED Disable extension points - ON Force randomization for images (Mandatory ASLR) - ON + Do not allow stripped images - CHECKED Randomize memory allocations (Bottom-up ASLR) - ON Validate exception chains (SEHOP) - ON Validate handle usage - ON Validate heap integrity - ON Validate image dependency integrity - ON
Thanks to @oldschool for sharing!
ㅤㅤㅤHardware Firewall (Firewalla Blue Plus):
- Active Protect (Strict)
- Ad Block (Strict)
- OISD blocklist enabled in Firewalla
- New Device Quarantine (restricted internet access for newly connected devices)
- Geo-IP Filtering (blocking connections from and to Russian + Chinese IPs)
- Unbound DNS enabled for all devices
ㅤ
- Periodic malware scanners
-
Norton Power Eraser, X-Sec and AdwCleaner
- Malware sample testing
- I do participate in malware testing. See details about my testing environment below.
- Environment for malware testing
-
ㅤㅤㅤ
VMware Workstation Player + Mullvad VPN on host machine while connected to the guest network.
Online Malware Analysis Platforms that I use:
- FileScan.iO
- Intenzer Analyze
- Hybrid Analysis
- VirusTotal
- Sophos Intelix
- Valkyrie
- ANY.RUN
- Triage
- Kaspersky Threat Intelligence Portal
- Docguard.iO
- PolySwarm
- Yomi
- Neiki.Dev
- ThreatZone
- UnpacMe
--> Currently I am barely testing
- Browser(s) and extensions
-
ㅤ
Mozilla Firefox v. 124.0.2
Extensions:
- uBlock Origin Lite
- SafeToOpen
- Bitwarden
Browser privacy and security settings:
- Tracking protection: Strict (enables Total Cookie Protection)
- Enable secure DNS using: Max Protection
- HTTPS-only-mode enabled
- DuckDuckGo set as search engine
- Pocket disabled
- Sending DNT-requests disabled (enabling makes you more identifiable and barely gives any advantage on most sites.)
- Clearing browsing data on exit
- Search suggestions disabled
- Websites overview disabled
- Blocking incoming location, camera and microphone requests
- AutoPlay for audio and video disabled
- Firefox telemetry disabled (also in about:config)
- Blocking pop-ups
- Warn when websites try to install addons enabled
- Protection against fraudulent content and dangerous software enabled
about:config tweaks:
- network.dns.echconfig.enabled = true
- network.dns.use_https_rr_as_altsvc = true
- fission.autostart = true
- pdfjs.enableScripting = false
- network.IDN_show_punycode = true
- security.ssl.require_safe_negotiation = true
- geo.enabled = false
- webgl.disabled = true
- network.trr.mode = 3 (NextDNS)
ㅤㅤ
- Secure DNS
-
ㅤ
- NextDNS with DoH + OISD blocklist (Firefox exclusively)
- Unbound DNS (Network-wide)
ㅤ
- Desktop VPN
-
Proton VPN with Secure Core, NetShield and Permanent Kill Switch
- Password manager
-
ㅤBitwarden Premium
- Maintenance tools
-
PatchMyPC, RuckZuck, UpdateHub, HiBit Uninstaller and Windows built in tools for cleaning and optimization
- File and Photo backup
-
ㅤbackup to external drive when necessary
- Active subscriptions
-
- Google One Standard 200GB
- System recovery
-
Aomei Backupper
- Risk factors
-
- Browsing to popular websites
- Browsing to unknown / untrusted / shady sites
- Opening email attachments
- Buying from online stores, entering banks card details
- Downloading software and files from reputable sites
- Gaming
- Streaming audio/video content from shady sites
- Downloading malware samples
- Computer specs
-
GPU: Nvidia Geforce RTX 360 TI
CPU: Intel I5 12600K
RAM: 16 GB DDR4-3200 Crucial
Hard disks: 500 GB Samsung 970 EVO Plus + 1 TB Western Digital Blue
- Notable changes
-
- Updated for year 2024
- What I'm looking for?
-
Looking for minimum feedback.
- Feb 25, 2017
- 2,492
- replaced Cylance Smart Antivirus with Sophos Home Premium
- removed HitmanPro as it's already integrated in Sophos
- removed DocumentAntiExploit
- removed HitmanPro as it's already integrated in Sophos
- removed DocumentAntiExploit
- Apr 1, 2019
- 2,763
I really liked SHP when I tried it. If my wife hadn’t moved back to Mac I might’ve stuck with it for the very good online management.
- Feb 25, 2017
- 2,492
True, I also absolutely love the new app. Now I can even manage it from my phone. I hope it won't fail me, cause if it does it will take me hours to uninstall it again. It's really a nightmare to uninstall.
- Apr 1, 2019
- 2,763
I reimaged since I was on a trial. But, those days of reimaging regularly are behind me. Now I only try ones that will uninstall at least fairly easily.True, I also absolutely love the new app. Now I can even manage it from my phone. I hope it won't fail me, cause if it does it will take me hours to uninstall it again. It's really a nightmare to uninstall.
- Feb 25, 2017
- 2,492
Well, in the end you don't even need to make use of the uninstall if the product is good. I hope it's the case here. Protection-wise I'm sure it can easily compete with Kaspersky or Bitdefender, but performance-wise...
- Apr 1, 2019
- 2,763
Yeah there’s a lot of processes, but I found their collective effect to be similar to other AVs after it settled from it’s caching behavior.
- Dec 23, 2014
- 8,119
Did you mean Device Encryption?It's available in Home but only over command line. But as encryption is a set & forget operation and good articles exists, this isn't so bad
How to use Bitlocker on Windows 10 Home | Experts Exchange
Learn more about How to use Bitlocker on Windows 10 Home from the expert community at Experts Exchange
www.experts-exchange.com
[Solved] How to enable BitLocker on Windows 11/10 Home?
Wondering how to enable BitLocker on Windows 11/10 Home? Click here for easy-to-understand BitLocker for Windows 11/10 Home step-by-step instructions that will help!
www.m3datarecovery.com
Last edited:
- Feb 25, 2017
- 2,492
+ added Trend Micro HouseCall as second opinion scanner
- Feb 25, 2017
- 2,492
- Switched from Cloudflare to Quad9 DNS within AdGuard Windows
- Feb 25, 2017
- 2,492
- Feb 25, 2017
- 2,492
Edit: added again due to recent updates
Last edited:
- Feb 25, 2017
- 2,492
- replaced McAfee True Key with Firefox Lockwise
Last edited:
- Feb 25, 2017
- 2,492
- removed SHADE Sandbox Home Edition
- Apr 1, 2019
- 2,763
How’s the system impact of SHP on your gaming experience these days? Not memory use, just general loading times and such?
- Feb 25, 2017
- 2,492
Not playing many demanding games lately. Only played Life is Strange 2, Valheim and Mirrors Edge Catalyst. So far no big performance issues in gaming but my Firefox is crashing a lot lately probably caused by the protected applications feature. Will see what the time brings and keep you updated if you want.
- Feb 25, 2017
- 2,492
Dude I know you love it!
I think I actually will, I just don't have the motivation to tweak everything again...
- Apr 1, 2019
- 2,763
Yeah I’d be interested. The only problem I ever had was a painfully slow Firefox launch. I don’t really use FF much these days, though.Not playing many demanding games lately. Only played Life is Strange 2, Valheim and Mirrors Edge Catalyst. So far no big performance issues in gaming but my Firefox is crashing a lot lately probably caused by the protected applications feature. Will see what the time brings and keep you updated if you want.
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