4 ms·

I've tried to use Windows in the past, but always had that unsettling feeling that I was a mistake or two from being compromised in some way. It doesn't help th

I've tried to use Windows in the past, but always had that unsettling feeling that I was a mistake or two from being compromised in some way. It doesn't help that I had locked my wife's Windows (8 at the time) machine down as tightly as I could figure out how to (antivirus, etc), and she still managed to get an ad/malware infection. For those of you comfortable in this platform, what steps do you take to protect yourself?

VoightKampff 9y ago
- Use uBlock Origin and never disable it. If a site wants me to disable it, tough luck, I won't be reading that content. - Never install software from let's say untrusted sources without researching first if the installer doesn't contain any additional "stuff" (in a VM for example).
cube2222 9y ago
Not downloading/installing questionable content. Turning on controlled folder access if you're paranoid about ransomware. Not much else really. I haven't noticed any viruses / slowdowns / malfunctions this way. Don't install antiviruses, they're basically malware created to fight malware. Windows defender in Windows 10 is enough. Keep your device updated.
tomku 9y ago
Read through the entirety of https://decentsecurity.com https://decentsecurity.com and follow the advice. That's literally it. I've been using Windows (alongside Linux and recently MacOS) since the 3.x days and the last time I've had any kind of security issue with Windows was getting remotely infected by the Sasser worm in 2003. The major points of vulnerability nowadays are the browser and the user. Secure the shit out of your browser - aggressive adblock, disable/click-to-play all plugins, no unnecessary addons. As a user, educate yourself about the realistic threats. Download software from reputable places - if you're used to a Linux package manager, this will take some adjusting but it's not difficult. When you're installing something, actually read what it's doing and think, don't just click next excitedly. I shouldn't even have to say this, but don't open email attachments unless they're from someone you know and you're expecting exactly what they sent. Let Windows install updates automatically and reboot when it asks. Keep your other software up to date - something like Chocolatey (https://chocolatey.org https://chocolatey.org) might help, but that has its own security upsides and downsides. Turn on Windows Defender and let it keep itself updated.
zeusk 9y ago
Windows Defender, uBlock with a healthy list of adware and malware domains, cautious downloads and regular updates.
asddddd 9y ago
For me: adblocker and absolute minimum of browser addons/plugins. Caution when installing/running just about anything, this is more important vs other OSes because you end up running executables from random websites. An antivirus is a crutch to save you if you messed up here. Windows firewall is a pain in the ass, but if you have some time you can lock stuff down quite a bit (Windows Firewall Notifier). Personally, I don't run an antivirus at all; I got sick of Windows Defender making disk accesses so slow so I disabled it. At most I'd set up scheduled scans.

VoightKampff 9y ago

- Use uBlock Origin and never disable it. If a site wants me to disable it, tough luck, I won't be reading that content. - Never install software from let's say untrusted sources without researching first if the installer doesn't contain any additional "stuff" (in a VM for example).

cube2222 9y ago

Not downloading/installing questionable content. Turning on controlled folder access if you're paranoid about ransomware. Not much else really. I haven't noticed any viruses / slowdowns / malfunctions this way. Don't install antiviruses, they're basically malware created to fight malware. Windows defender in Windows 10 is enough. Keep your device updated.

tomku 9y ago

Read through the entirety of https://decentsecurity.com https://decentsecurity.com and follow the advice. That's literally it. I've been using Windows (alongside Linux and recently MacOS) since the 3.x days and the last time I've had any kind of security issue with Windows was getting remotely infected by the Sasser worm in 2003. The major points of vulnerability nowadays are the browser and the user. Secure the shit out of your browser - aggressive adblock, disable/click-to-play all plugins, no unnecessary addons. As a user, educate yourself about the realistic threats. Download software from reputable places - if you're used to a Linux package manager, this will take some adjusting but it's not difficult. When you're installing something, actually read what it's doing and think, don't just click next excitedly. I shouldn't even have to say this, but don't open email attachments unless they're from someone you know and you're expecting exactly what they sent. Let Windows install updates automatically and reboot when it asks. Keep your other software up to date - something like Chocolatey (https://chocolatey.org https://chocolatey.org) might help, but that has its own security upsides and downsides. Turn on Windows Defender and let it keep itself updated.

zeusk 9y ago

Windows Defender, uBlock with a healthy list of adware and malware domains, cautious downloads and regular updates.

asddddd 9y ago

For me: adblocker and absolute minimum of browser addons/plugins. Caution when installing/running just about anything, this is more important vs other OSes because you end up running executables from random websites. An antivirus is a crutch to save you if you messed up here. Windows firewall is a pain in the ass, but if you have some time you can lock stuff down quite a bit (Windows Firewall Notifier). Personally, I don't run an antivirus at all; I got sick of Windows Defender making disk accesses so slow so I disabled it. At most I'd set up scheduled scans.