Stupid Belarc Advisor, after running test, said I got a 2.4 (sorry no pic,read on);
That's actually NOT "all that bad" man, look @ some other folks' scores, & see what I mean by that... & it's NOT their faults, @ least not entirely... Ms' ships their OS "pretty wide open" so it deploys easily, & runs w/ EVERYTHING pretty much!
This has downsides, but makes life 'easier' @ the outset @ least, until someone finds holes in said default setup, creating the need for change.
Don't dismiss it entirely though - it does make a LOAD of good suggestions, & per your objections list below? I'll help you thru some, hopefully.
The stupid program got into a fight with my system had to reboot and Un-install Belarc and do a few other things just to get back online(took almost 3 hours).
That is ODD that it would... what webbrowser is your default one? I ask, because you may have found a bug in the browser YOU use, and you ought to report it to its maker(s), IF you can consistently duplicate it, that is.
The thing I noticed is that to increase my score I would have to;
SET Min and MAX password lengths;
Have a different password for Administrator, and User (Even though they are the same person).
secpol.msc is where you change this...
Go up to, iirc, 12-14 (iirc, 14 is the max, but I could be off here) characters as MIN @ least, max?
Heck... whatever it will take.
See, the longer THIS is?? The longer it takes 'brute force dictionary crackers' to work... & the time involved for that, even on a FAST computer, is huge & especially @ those lengths & up...
Also, you can supplement THAT, by allowing only say, 3 tries on an incorrect password entry (all done in secpol.msc iirc), & that also helps 'stall' those types of attacks.
Set passwords Schedule to require Passwords be changed ever day.
Logging on as Administrator, even though largely 'frowned upon' nowadays? Offsets this usually, iirc.
See, I do... but, I am out to secure the HECK out of logging ON as Administrator... they say that though, WITH good reason, because anything YOU run on your machine (while you are logged on) runs in that user's security privelege context (most of it that is, some stuff runs as SYSTEM, like installers, imo a NO NO, but how they are currently)... so, that said?
IF you 'suck in' a malware? It has ALL of your powers... & if you logon as Admin? Well... it can do, pretty much what YOU can!
Thats allready to much trouble, I want to turn the computer on and have it work; I don't need any passwords or any of that crap!!
Well, I see YOUR point: A matter of convenience. That is, until you get "hit" by something that uses the 'security-holes' this & other programs like it, can find, & help you patch up!
This Belarc thing is for big coorporate applications, not home computers.
Well, I tend to differ, but... to each his own!
* If you have nothing to worry about on your local system? Then, agreed, you can do without it... me? The ONLY reason I go thru this, @ least @ home?? Is so I do NOT have to redo my system setups (ghosting helps though) due to being busted up by some kind of attack via malware/spyware/virus, OR remote intruders... it's a PAIN for me, trust me, because my systems are SO 'customized', & not only @ the OS level, but in my games, compilers, & more...
Well, thank goodness for GHOST & progs like it!
They help, some, & a LOT, if I keep their images up to date... but, problem is, what if I ghost some setup that has an exploit that nothing I have in the way of security stopped, & I didn't keep multiple images ready (& I do, 4 deep, & though it takes up a LOT of my space, it's worth it to me)? I am screwed, blued, & TATOOED, even IF I ghosted.
Anyhow... to each his own, I respect that, above all else.
APK
) every 40 days so i can't tweak everytime. so i let tuneup utilities do it for me.any others reason to security tweak for a gamer/hardcore user ?
what's happened ???
