Computer protection

[ians]

A question for all the smart IT guys.

After my recent incident with a gmail account being stolen (my own fault for being too relaxed about security) ...it is time to start putting safrty features in place ...starting with 2 step verification.

I have downloaded windows 10 pro ... yse my computer has slowed down ...after watching a few videos ....i will tweat the system ...upgrade to 8 gig of ram instead of 4 ... and i plan to replace the hard drive with an SSD ... it has an intel i5

The first question do i encrypt the drives?

Is it a good idea to lock the drive ? (a feature offered in windows 10 pro)

There is a list of security features under security security ...do they work or is it better to get external security?

There is a feature account protection which has to be activated ...do i activate it or get third party protection ?

I have installed and run CCleaner ...which seems to detect loads of internet cache files and stuff ... if i run this program once a month it should be ok ?

I have installed malwarebytes ...but after doing a bit of research ...it seems ther eare better products ... any suggestions ? I scanned the laptop and only 7 items were detected and 6 of the 7 look like windows programs and as expected notificatication popped up to warn me that the windows programs were deactivated.

Then we move onto CCTV ...alarm systems etc which are accesssable from remote locations ... what type of security would be advisable for this stuff ... also taking into account team viewer ...zoom and linking your phone and just so many other access points to hack ?

[adrianh]

These are the most important things related to running a PC and Android off the top of my head:
================================================== ======================

For the PC:
1. CHECK PERMISSIONS - MS GIVES ITSELF THE RIGHT TO TAKE EVERYTHING OFF YOU PC AND MORE - DISABLE ALL THE TELEMETRY, Auto updates ETC.

Look at this:
https://www.thewindowsclub.com/tools...gs-windows-10/

Watch this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9kFXnomRWQ

2. DISABLE CORTANA and other $h!t - especially all the GARBAGE MS BLOAT APPS - DISABLE THEM - THEY WILL CHATTER IN THE BACKGROUND IF YOU DON'T
3. Install "Zone Alarm" and USE IT - BLOCK THE ONGOING CHATTER
4. Install "Avast Free Antivirus"

Use MSconfig.exe and look at all the $H1t that auto starts when Windows starts - Get rid of it.
Look at Task Manager - get rid of unneeded services and apps and stuff - MS runs all sorts of garbage all the time.
Check the Windows "Task Scheduler" - The thing starts all sorts of garbage automatically all the time. (This is where 90% of the stuff you can't get rid of gets started)


Run Firefox as your browser and install the following plugins:
1. Various Adblockers.
2. "UBlock Origin". (This is THE most important plugin) - You will see that websites log on to lots of URLs without your knowledge.
3. "Facebook Container".
4. "YouTube Enhancer" (kills ALL YT ads and gives you great control over the site)
5. "PopupBlockUltimate".
6. "DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials"

Browser Issues:
CREATE A FAKE PERSONA WITH FAKE ACCOUNTS
1. NEVER LOG IN TO A SEARCH ENGINE - FXCK GOOGLE, BING etc. Those log-ins cross links with absolutely everything you do on your PC.
2. Use DuckDuckGo or Yandex for searching - Google and Bing results are 100% skewed in favor of paying advertisers - their results are $h!T
3. DO NOT log in to Facebook on a browser that does not have a Facebook Container - Facebook is a browser vacuum cleaner. Ever the little Facebook button on ANY page is a data suck gateway (The FB container sandboxes all the little FB and social media button gateways)
4. Don't use Microsoft Edge
5. Chrome is a DATA vacuum cleaner - Do not use it for FB or anything like that on Chrome.


Android:
1. Keep one device clean with minimal apps for banking etc.
2. DO NOT USE Facebook and all that crap on this device - Android is a data SLUT - it passes everything to everybody ALL THE TIME
3. Install NoRootFireWall - USE IT PROPERLY - Block 90% of unsolicited comms (and save huge amounts of data) The phone talks to the net 100% of the time - mostly looking for ads (My logs show it)
4. DO NOT USE APPS like Facebook, Youtube etc DISABLE THEM including the Google app itself!
5. Install Firefox and the DuckDuckGo browsers with adblock and security plugins.
6. Check ALL permissions - Google gives itself the right to FxCK YOU OVER

On you general Android device:
1. CREATE A FAKE PERSONA
2. Install NoRootFireWall - USE IT PROPERLY - Block 90% of unsolicited comms (and save huge amounts of data)
3. DO NOT USE APPS like Facebook, Youtube Instagram etc - DISABLE THEM. (They are DATA SLUTS)
4. Install Firefox and the DuckDuckGo browsers.
5. Do FB and YT and stuff via the browser (Firefox blocks all the ads)
6. Check ALL permissions - Google gives itself the right to FxCK YOU OVER

Our internet connected devices are serving our lives up to the net without us even knowing it. If I had the cash I would get another powerful PC and use it completely off the internet for my work. The internet is great really a huge private data vacuum cleaner that spits out advertising and $h1t in return!!!!!!

[adrianh]

DO NOT LET CCLEANER RUN ALL THE TIME - DISABLE ITS AUTO UPDATES AND DO NOT USE ITS HEALTH CHECK.

Use it to clean your machine periodically - ON YOUR COMMAND - not when it feels like doing it itself.

[ians]

I run 2 x laptops and a netbook all acer.

Xp pro on the netbook and 1 x laptop ...the one laptop is used at the pub for tunes and the netbook is for the test equipment.

Windows 10 pro on my office laptop.

An Iphone 5 and 5 s and an ipad mini (which is as old as i am)

[New Perspective studio]

Watchout for chrome, the amount of info it saves if you go and look in your app data is scary, every website and its password, credit card details probably the last file you would want out there. Most problems occur when you pick up something online so get a proper browser protector and use a safer browser than chrome.

I know Google and Windows are all "we are about safety" but thats rubbish. Microsoft and google care about one thing data and combining everything you have to online cloud platforms to gather even more data about you. Get avast, or kaspersky. Where possible try not to interconnect devices a breach in one is a breach in all. Get away from chrome bad search results and also saves everything on top of showing you heavily cached results. Get a vpn. Change your default home network name, use network encryption, disable remote access, DHCP, and default ips.

[ians]

Restarted the computer today ...

Pop up

sqlmangr.exe ordinal not found

C:\windows|system32\SQLUNIRL.dll missing

If i remove chrome ... how do i access gmail accounts?

[Justloadit]

If i remove chrome ... how do i access gmail accounts?

I use Firefox.
www.gmail.com should get you there.

[New Perspective studio]

Actually read an interesting article about mozilla firefox, that google infact pays it to use it as its default engine, but their default stance in very much against data collection and protection of the user. Its a inbetween of duck duck go and chrome. Article i was referring to is here : https://www.digitaltrends.com/comput...mparison-2020/

[zonzhu]

It's really so helpful with full of informative. Thank you so much "adrianh" for your wiring.

[adrianh]

Some more things:

1. Turn off 3rd party cookies.
2. Make sure that you have a Facebook Container active in Firefox at all times. This blocks Facebook from seeing other browser activity and also blocks ALL Facebook tracking from ALL sites.

[adrianh]

I just came across this Firewall App Blocker. Take a look at all the utilities on this site - This is not only a security dream come true but also a huge bag of really nice tools for those of us who spend our lives on our computers.

https://www.sordum.org/8125/firewall-app-blocker-fab-v1-7/