Regarding security & privacy horror stories about Windows 10...

Comodo Internet Security - CIS Firewall Help - CIS
#1

I’ve read some security & privacy horror stories about Win10, and I’m curious - can the combination of appropriate Windows settings as well as suitable Comodo blockades turn a Windows 10 machine into a normal “local” machine which doesn’t send out unnecessary data (including telemetry and some other stuff meant to “improve” our lives and make the world a better place blah blah blah; in essence, also those things that cannot be blocked by design in Windows 10)?

I’m sticking to Win7 at the moment, but it’s good to know in advance. On this setup, I was able to avoid Win10-related things by blocking internet access to invagent.dll, appraiser.dll, gwxconfigmanager.exe etc.
(Actually, the only weak point I can think of on my computers up to Win7, is allowing full internet access to svchost.exe, as lots of services and data can sneak using this process.)

#2

Data is collected all the time, sure you can block of some but we can with 80% guarantee say your data is collected anyway.
If you want to know exactly what’s running on your system i’d go with Linux which distro i’m not sure as i’m not that deep in the tech world yet… however Just get a open source kernel and os and you’ll be fine. Windows machines will be PC machines in my head and linux for privacy etc.

#3

Is it possible that windows10 has secret service loopholes that defeat comodo and disable its functionality?

#4

Best bet: Use things like Spybot Anti-Beacon Spybot Anti-Beacon - Spybot Anti-Malware and Antivirus : Spybot Anti-Malware and Antivirus

OOSU10: O&O ShutUp10++ – Free antispy tool for Windows 10 and 11

Another good one is: Protect Your Privacy with Privacy Repairer for Windows 10 plus that site gives excellent information on removing some of the Windows 10 Telemetry

It is and will probably continue to be a constant battle to stop the collection of your info, but combined with good router security, DNS options and of course Comodo . . . . we can all become ‘paranoid bastards’ as the CIA said !! 8)

#5

Yeah ofcourse i know all that stuff but they fix only things windows admits to send and have or?

I mean more if it has something they would deny when asked and no one knows of it.
And ofcourse it is possible it has some kind of secret off switch for antivirus.

The question is: could the os switch comodo off?

#6

It’s not just what they’ve admitted; the majority is found by analysts tracing and checking and finding how to disable. As for a ‘secret switch’!! I highly doubt it . . . . Microsoft doesn’t have the monopoly of engineers

As for switching Comodo off; well it didn’t work for the CIA. Come on - even I wouldn’t go that far, but you can always ask the devs - if they’d tell you!!

#7

I’d say the two weak spots (not only in Win10, but also previous versions) are the permissions for “System” and for svchost.exe. Quite a lot of things might be smuggled through these “legally”, and it’s almost impossible to completely deny them, because it would break internet connection related functionality.

#8

and more . . . on all versions. Security is always a compromise (Bruce Scheiner)
You have to make the choice yourself

#9

Would it technically possible to partially block this so smuggled things would be denied?

#10

It’s a bit unclear if you are referring to Firewall component.

#11

Wilders Security has a lot of detailed info on this: Should i block windows svchost.exe connections.? | Wilders Security Forums

#12

Thanks for the link, I was looking for something exactly like this:)