Hard_Configurator - GUI to Manage Software Restriction Policies and harden Windows Home OS

Discussion in 'other anti-malware software' started by guest, Nov 20, 2018.

  1. shmu26

    shmu26 Registered Member

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    IMHO Macrium Reflect is better put together. Can't say I did extensive comparison, but as an example, in the Aomei recovery environment, my cordless mouse was dead, whereas in the Macrium recovery environment, my mouse worked. That's just a little example.
    I can't imagine using a computer without some type of system image backup. It's the easiest way out of so many fiascos...

    Regarding H_C and its weaknesses, I think the most glaring weakness is it doesn't do much to stop processes running with elevated privileges. OSA does not suffer from that weakness.
    In H_C's defense: assuming that you are using modern and patched OS and software, malware incidents always start at standard privileges. The exceptions to this rule are pretty rare, and not so relevant to home users, to whom H_C is oriented.
    H_C is not a corporate solution and is not meant to be one.
     
  2. imdb

    imdb Registered Member

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    it's just a missing usb device driver issue. you could add the required drivers to your aomei bootable media before burning it to a medium or creating the bootable usb.
     
  3. Buddel

    Buddel Registered Member

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    Thanks for your informative post, @lucd , and Happy New Year.:thumb:
     
  4. SouthPark

    SouthPark Registered Member

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    That's exactly what I did earlier today. So far, the default recommended H_C settings are fine on my i3 laptop. I whitelisted the folder where I keep my portable apps. The removal of "Run as Admin" takes a little getting used to (cmd.exe can only be run as elevated if you go to the file location and right-click it).
     
  5. shmu26

    shmu26 Registered Member

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    Yeah, I disabled that one, I couldn't get used to it. Most of the time, "Run As Smartscreen" (available in the left-click menu when you select an executable file) with do the trick for you, but not always. There are file types that it doesn't support.
    Just acquire the habit of always running new files via "Run As Smartscreen", and you are protected. Unexperienced users will never choose "Run as Admin" anyways, so IMHO it's not necessary to hide it unless you have smart teenagers around.
     
  6. Solarlynx

    Solarlynx Registered Member

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    I cannot remove "Hard_Configurator" and "Switch Default Deny" from my PC, win-10. They appear in windows menu in "Recently added", when I press "Uninstall", Control Panel opens but they are not listed there. Revo free uninstaller doesn't see them as well.

    I wonder why they don't appear there and how to remove them. Can somebody help, please?
     
  7. Tyreman

    Tyreman Registered Member

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    from manual....." After using Hard_Configurator, it cannot be uninstalled via Windows uninstall feature, because Hard_Configurator entry is deleted from the list of installed applications. This prevents users from uninstalling Hard_Configurator without restoring Windows default settings. This option performs and removes Hard_Configurator files from disk"

    restore the windows defaults first
    use restore windows defaults red button, reboot and then use the uninstall red button?
     
  8. Solarlynx

    Solarlynx Registered Member

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    Thank you, I was close to ask "Where this damn red button?" but reading the manual saved me from even further disgrace.
     
  9. guest

    guest Guest

    Hard_Configurator ver. 5.1.1.1 beta (May 9, 2020)
    Website
    What's New
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 19, 2020
  10. guest

    guest Guest

    Hard_Configurator ver. 5.1.1.1 Released (June 19, 2020)
    Website
    What's New
     
  11. guest

    guest Guest

    Hard_Configurator ver. 5.1.1.2 Released (June 21, 2020)
    Website
    What's New
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 21, 2020
  12. lucd

    lucd Registered Member

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    Hi, does anybody know how to make it so qihoo360 autostarts
    only one module starts on restart after hard configurator has been installed
    how to whitelist an AV
     
  13. shmu26

    shmu26 Registered Member

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    Check the log to find out what was blocked. This behavior is not typical of most AVs. Usually they require no special configuring to run normally after installing H_C.
    For more detailed help, ask the dev on his dedicated thread on the MalwareTips forum.
     
  14. lucd

    lucd Registered Member

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    where is the log please?
     
  15. shmu26

    shmu26 Registered Member

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    Click on tools, you will see it. When you run it, it takes a while to load the entries, so give it a minute.
     
  16. lucd

    lucd Registered Member

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    I am so retarted at using HC I would need extra guidance to add a whitelist , I posted at malwaretips
     
  17. shmu26

    shmu26 Registered Member

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    It's not a sleek, intuitive app. But it's also not hard to learn it. The dev will help you, or an advanced user.
     
  18. imdb

    imdb Registered Member

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    is it a safe practice to whitelist (by path) the entire root folder of a portable app?
     
  19. imdb

    imdb Registered Member

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    is it?
     
  20. Minimalist

    Minimalist Registered Member

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    I folder is not protected from changes from non-admin user it is not advised to whitelist whole folder.
     
  21. imdb

    imdb Registered Member

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    thanks minimalist. that's what i thought too. but some portable apps won't run even if you whitelist their exe. so, what is your suggestion?
     
  22. Azure Phoenix

    Azure Phoenix Registered Member

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  23. Minimalist

    Minimalist Registered Member

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    In past I didn't use H_C but instead GPedit to manage SRP rules. In your case it could be that some DLL is blocked by SRP so it's either finding which one (this could take you some time to figure out) or just whitelist whole directory. I didn't have those problems since I disable DLL checking so I usually whitelisted hash for binaries in user writeable areas. After moving to Windows 10 and after MS announced it's giving up on SRP I didn't use SRP an more.
    As @Azure Phoenix posted it's unlikely for home user to encounter malware that would exploit this weakness.
     
  24. imdb

    imdb Registered Member

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  25. imdb

    imdb Registered Member

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    thank you so much, minimalist. :thumb:
     
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