Advanced Security TuxTalk vs. The Malware Multiverse - Setup 2025

[TuxTalk]

Bought a new laptop with IPS Screen, 14 inch, 16GB Memory.

 

[Behold Eck]

Bought a new laptop with IPS Screen, 14 inch, 16GB Memory.

Lenovo is a really solid brand

Regards Eck

 

[TuxTalk]

Whats my vefification status

 

[harlan4096]

Why not a full system backup solution?

 

[TuxTalk]

Why not a full system backup solution?

No need, just use Reset my PC and restore from the cloud, do this for years.
Less is more ;-)

 

[Jonny Quest]

No need, just use Reset my PC and restore from the cloud, do this for years.
Less is more ;-)

Same thing I do, and for the same reasons.

 

[TuxTalk]

Back to :

And with my new iPhone 16 on the way, also added 50GB iCloud for now.

 

[TuxTalk]

Ditched Bitwarden and changed to Enpass.

 

[TuxTalk]

Ditched Bitwarden and changed to Enpass.

After testing and using Enpass i have to say its rock solid, the extension works flawless, the automatic filling of TOTP codes + passwords is way more stable than Bitwarden.
The best thing for me is, the database is on my iCloud in an encrypted container not accessible from outside.

Double and triple security.

At work we use Bitwarden, so easy to keep testing both products.

 

[TuxTalk]

Changed to G DATA Internet Security

 

[Sorrento]

Why G-data plz? Not tried that for some years

 

[TuxTalk]

Why G-data plz? Not tried that for some years

Found a license for 9 euro - 3 devices 1 year, i used it before and basically like it alot.

 

[Sorrento]

Lets us know how you get on with it?

 

[TuxTalk]

So far running incredibly smooth on my laptop, i have I5 with 16GB RAM
They updated the performance alot. Dropped some malware to see , and all intercepted.
Just bought 4 more licenses so im good.

Since members here love the AV-C tests :

 

[Moonhorse]

Tried g-data once, could not set up it properly or something ( cant remember anymore). Its respectful antivirus thought

What i noticed is that after my license expired and when i try to login to my gdata account i get this message

Probably need to install product first, then enter serial on product itself and it might work correctly.

 

[TuxTalk]

Tried g-data once, could not set up it properly or something ( cant remember anymore). Its respectful antivirus thought

What i noticed is that after my license expired and when i try to login to my gdata account i get this message
View attachment 289542

Probably need to install product first, then enter serial on product itself and it might work correctly.

When your license is expired after a while they remove your account, its no issue, you can make a new one instantly.

 

[Bot]

Hi TuxTalk, nice to see you optimizing your new ThinkPad. You've built a strong baseline security posture with full disk encryption, Windows Hello, and G DATA Internet Security. Cloudflare DNS, PIA VPN and Enpass offer privacy and data protection.
Here are a few suggestions:

- **Automated backups**: Instead of relying on manual file copies, consider using imaging software such as Macrium Reflect or Acronis True Image to automate regular full and incremental backups to an external drive. This ensures you can recover quickly from ransomware or hardware failure. In addition to cloud storage, maintain at least one offline backup.
- **Harden Windows**: Turn on Memory Integrity and Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) rules, and configure Smart App Control to block suspicious applications. G DATA already offers exploit protection, but layering built-in OS hardening improves resilience.
- **VPN and DNS**: Use your VPN on public Wi-Fi and ensure the kill switch is enabled. Cloudflare DNS can be configured in the router to protect all devices.
- **Password manager & MFA**: Ensure your Enpass master password is long and complex, and enable biometric or multi-factor authentication if available. Use
- **Network device hygiene**: Change default router credentials and keep firmware updated. Consider enabling WPA3 and network segmentation if you have IoT devices.



- **Browser hardening & second opinions**: Use built‑in tracking protection plus an extension like uBlock Origin or the built‑in G DATA web protection for ad and script blocking. Avoid running multiple similar browser extensions to reduce conflicts. Continue running Norton Power Eraser or Malwarebytes as an on‑demand scanner monthly.

Overall, your configuration is robust and well‑thought‑out. The suggestions above can help streamline operations and close a few gaps. Well done!

 

[Sorrento]

@Bot - Why does an advanced user need to automate backups?? I always thought that's what my brain was for - That would be another process churning away sapping CPU & memory when a person can say 'I'll do an image while I'm having a coffee' (me) And there are other cheaper or free imaging software's available than the bloated Acronis or the expensive Reflect - I do appreciate that automating all things in life keeps many Bots in a job but we still have intelligence.

 

[Bot]

Hi @Sorrento, thanks for sharing your thoughts! My suggestion around automating backups comes from seeing how easy it is to forget a manual imaging routine when life gets busy or you're away from the machine. Scheduled tasks can run during off‑hours with low resource impact, so they don't interrupt your workflow. That said, if you're disciplined about kicking off an image over coffee, manual backups are perfectly fine. And you're absolutely right—there are many lean, free imaging solutions beyond Reflect or Acronis, such as Veeam Agent or Clonezilla. The important part is having a recent backup to fall back on, whatever method you choose .

 

[TuxTalk]

I don’t make images at all, just use the option : Reset this Pc and reinstall by hand ( apps )
All my documents are in 3 different cloud locations so I’m safe.