Anyone still use DEP on Windows

Flashorn · Jul 20, 2023

Just curious as I have always used it for all programs.
Any comments on it's effectiveness?

Ghot · Jul 20, 2023

Flashorn said:
Just curious as I have always used it for all programs.
Any comments on it's effectiveness?

I leave my DEP set at the default... "only for Windows programs and services".

Data Execution Prevention - Win32 apps

Data Execution Prevention (DEP) is a system-level memory protection feature that is built into the operating system starting with Windows XP and Windows Server 2003.

learn.microsoft.com

Honestly, the best thing you can do for yourself is to use backup software... religiously.
Personally, I recommend a few things...

1. Keep the total "used space" on your Windows drive, as low as possible. This makes backups and restores... fast.
2. Only make a FULL backup when your computer is running clean and flawlessly.
3. Always make a full backup before doing any major changes.
4. Only do FULL backups. Incremental and differential backups, can backup the bad stuff too.
5. Play "leap frog" with your backups. See step #2. "Hop" from one clean functioning state, to the next.
6. Any time you even suspect infection or corruption... restore from a clean backup.

By keeping the data (used space) on your Windows derive low... this system works really well and... fast.
Keeping backups and restores fast, helps in the long run, because you will be more inclined to... stick to the backup steps.

While differential or incremental backups may be necessary for a business situation, I can't see any logical reason to use them in the home environment. As mentioned above, due to their very nature, they will backup Windows, no matter what state it's in.

With FULL backups, you can and should, run all scanners and cleaners, before you make the backup.

Just my two cents. ^^

neemobeer · Jul 20, 2023

It doesn't hurt to leave it, but it isn't that difficult to bypass with ROP.
Basically you have to overridethe stack pointer register.

Here's a technical read on the subject.

Bypassing DEP with ROP | Blog | Fluid Attacks

This post will show how bypass the Data Execution Prevention security mechanism using Return-Oriented Programming.

fluidattacks.com

Flashorn · Jul 20, 2023

Thanks to you both. I do have full backups from Macrium and from time to time I redo a full back up.
I have the original M.2 SSD from my previous notebook and use it as a backup drive.

I have been using DEP on all PCs from XP to now and only once have I had to write an exception.
I find that it's just another step in prevention that doesn't cost anything and doesn't slow down
PCs or notebooks with the advent of the more modern hardware. Even if it is easy to override it,
it still can be useful.

I was just curious as to what you people think of it and if any of you are still using it.
It could be usefull knowledge to the younger generations that will follow our footsteps.

TM21 · Jul 20, 2023

Actually I pay no attention to DEP at all. Whatever the default is, that's what it is.
But, as was said, above, I do at least one full backup of my C: partition every week.
Just this week, I was searching for something and I hit a web site that gave me some malware. Virus? I dunno but Windows Defender went off like a rocket!
I quickly shut down my PC, booted up with my Ghost Flash Drive and did a full C: partition Restore to my last backup, which was only one day old. The Virus, or whatever it was, is gone, and all's well again.

There is just NOTHING better than having a recent drive backup when trouble strikes.
And, YES, to doing a very thorough Cleanup of your drive before you back it up. No sense backing up thousands of junk files.

Flashorn · Jul 20, 2023

TechnoMage2021 said:
There is just NOTHING better than having a recent drive backup when trouble strikes.
And, YES, to doing a very thorough Cleanup of your drive before you back it up. No sense backing up thousands of junk files.

Hey TM.
First, thanks for the batch file.
Second, I will use the cleaner before I do my next backup. I only do a full backup when I do.
Don't see the use "for me", to do Incremental as what I have on here can be re-installed as
I have all of the installers on a USB drive. As for the games well, I don't have allot installed
on this drive at the moment and can be downloaded from Steam any time I need too.

thecaretaker · Jul 20, 2023

Flashorn said:
Hey TM.
First, thanks for the batch file.
Second, I will use the cleaner before I do my next backup.

Have I missed something? I don't see any batch file attached to TM's post. I would like to have seen what that cleaned.

Flashorn · Jul 20, 2023

thecaretaker said:
Have I missed something? I don't see any batch file attached to TM's post. I would like to have seen what that cleaned.

You'll have to ask TM for that.

Anyone still use DEP on Windows

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