Guide | How To What's Recommended For Your Config?

[Chromatinfish 123]

If you saw my other thread, How Much Protection Is Enough?, newbies may still be asking

"Thanks, but what exactly to download/what addons to install?"

This thread is targeted at those newbies who need more advice than the thread, How Much Protection Is Enough. Please read the thread (link here) before attempting to download or remove anything that's advised in this thread because your recommendation may be different than the ones I post here.

Now, to the topic:

1. Remove Commonly Exploited Items
Almost everything can be exploited, but remove those who are a very big threat, like:

-Java
-Shockwave Flash
-Skype
-Microsoft Office
-Microsoft Silverlight
-Adobe Reader/Acrobat Pro

However, before rushing to the control panel to uninstall these, think what you lose from these. If you program or a program requires Java, don't uninstall it if the program is important. If you watch a lot of videos, don't uninstall Flash or install Chrome instead (like I do) and use it for Flash only (it has built-in PPAPI Flash). Same for Office and Skype. If you need help please reply to this thread with this info:

-Version Of Windows
-Any program of above ^^ you have
-What do you do with those programs?
And I'll come to help.

2. Sandboxie and/or Shadow Defender

I like to refer these two programs as "the box protection", Sandboxie is the box while Shadow Defender auto-removes clothes from the box, like when your mom removes toys you put in every time when you were young. For more info and instruction, I reccommend you contact @Umbra Polaris. His guide on configuring Shadow Defender is here:
http://malwaretips.com/threads/how-to-set-up-shadow-defender-for-convenience-max-protection.12778/

3. Security Addons
Ah, Real-Time Website and Identity Protection is still the first line of defense, so don't miss them! I reccommend:

For Newbies:
-Adblock Plus (Chrome, Firefox, IE, Opera, Safari)
-Disconnect (Firefox, Chrome, Opera) --IE Alternative: EasyPrivacy
-WOT-Web Of Trust (Firefox, Chrome, Opera)

For Medium Security Guys (Like Me) or Advanced Security Guys
- HTTP Switchboard (Chrome, Opera) --Firefox, Safari Alternative: AdGuard, IE alternative: Adblock Plus
- NoScript (Firefox) --Chrome Alternative: ScriptSafe (ScriptNo)
-DoNotTrackMe or Disconnect (Firefox, Chrome, Opera) --IE alternative: EasyPrivacy
-Added: HTTPS Everywhere (Firefox, Chrome, Opera)

Don't install too much addons or they will hinder your browsing experience. If you need help, please PM me or reply to this topic with this info:
-Windows Version
-Browser
-Level Of Security

That's It

 

[Kent]

Remove Commonly Exploited Items should include silverlight

 

[Kate_L]

I use Better Privacy, AdBlocker Plus, Disconnect, HTTPS Everywhere and my Firefox. On my Windows 7 (no service pack) I have Avast (PUP enabled, heuristics set on High and hardened mode on aggressive) + HitmanPro.Alert + Windows Firewall.

On my brother PC the same but 360 Internet Security with all engines enabled and same add-on on firefox and he didn't had any issues (malware loves him)

We use Foxy Reader for PDF. LibreOffice as Microsoft Office alternative.
Java is set on ask. Flash is updated all the time.

 

[Purshu_Pro]

I there any way i can try use shadow defender to install 3rd party themes and commit changes and after commit can i reverse and undo ?

 

[Chromatinfish 123]

I there any way i can try use shadow defender to install 3rd party themes and commit changes and after commit can i reverse and undo ?

Shadow Defender will automatically undo any changes in your system, unless you use it only for on demand and/or exclude the file or process. You can read Umbra's guide for more.

 

[Deleted member 178]

I there any way i can try use shadow defender to install 3rd party themes and commit changes and after commit can i reverse and undo ?

if you plan to install something, do it OUTSIDE shadow Mode; Shadow mode is to test/avoid installations.

 

[Oxygen]

I couldn't live without skype considering nobody on my skype contacts uses anything else.

 

[Aura]

To be honest, any Adobe products could be listed as "Commonly Exploited Items" as they are pretty much all targetted by exploits. And there's more to this list. Look up the RIG Exploit Pack, it affects a lot of programs, and this is only one exploit pack, not even talking about the others. Also, all of these programs can be managed inside the browser and you can disable them but add exceptions for certain websites, or even switch their "Always on" for "On demand" so a prompt will come up everytime the browser wants to execute that plugin.

As for Skype, it's not that it's not secure, it's mostly that people don't know how to use it properly in a safe and secure way. Otherwise, using it is just fine. Of course the best would be to use XMPP or IRC but I guess that the "casual user" doesn't even know what these are, so I doubt it would happen.

By the way, Ghostery, NoScript and HTTPSEverywhere are also excellent browser addons, this combined to your own Antivirus browser addons.

 

[software182]

Well, i need java for development

 

[Ink]

Removing Office and Reader for some users is like telling them to remove Windows. I'm sure updating and changing security settings would be advisable as an alternate.

AdBlock Plus by default comes with a pre-defined Whitelist, so Ads will be displayed and for a new computer user this could cause problems. AdBlock for an example, has no whitelist created by default.

 

[Chromatinfish 123]

Removing Office and Reader for some users is like telling them to remove Windows. I'm sure updating and changing security settings would be advisable as an alternate.

Oops, forgot to add that critical part. I was just stating that if you don’t use Skype, Word, Java, Flash, etc., you shouldn’t keep them installed.

 

[King Alpha]

If you want to keep using Java, Flash, etc. you should check for updates regularly.

Removing Office and Reader for some users is like telling them to remove Windows.

+1

 

[Aura]

If you want to keep using Java, Flash, etc. you should check for updates regularly.


+1

Kingsoft Office/OpenOffice/LibreOffice and Foxit Reader.
Brand new Windows style.