I've been quite impressed with the speed of internet web browsing using Chrome on a low-end (~$150 just recently) Windows 8.1 Zbox PC (http://www.newegg.co....-045-_-Product). It's at least as fast (maybe faster) at browsing as my Alienware i7 laptop, which runs Windows 7 Ultimate and has 24GB of memory. The Alienware i7 is a year old, so maybe the piling of Microsoft/ESET/who-knows-what updates have taken a toll. Both the Zbox and the i7 laptop have SSD's, but the i7 is also running ESET Internet Security, whereas the zbox is not. In fact, so far, while testing out the zbox, I haven't bothered with adding extra internet security, because I'm going to wipe it soon anyway. It's got me thinking: what's the fastest secure setup for internet browsing that doesn't cramp functionality? Ideas might be:
1. Stay the course: use the z-box as a Windows 8.1 PC but just add a typical software internet security package. I have doubts as to how secure this would be, and I also have doubts that it will remain fast over time, especially as more and more Microsoft updates get installed,
2. Chrome on Linux. Is that sufficiently secure by itself, or is more protection needed?
3. A Chromebox. Maybe powerwash it every night? e.g. ASUS has several Chromebox's with strongly positive reviews right now in the $150-205 range, such as http://www.amazon.co....asus chromebox
4. Run Chrome on a VM that gets completely wiped and rebuilt as often as you like so as to eradicate any malware that might creep in while browsing.
5. Similar to #4 but without the VM: reboot and re-install a baseline image, thereby destroying any malware acquired since the last major wipe.
6. Run everything from volatile memory (e.g. by using Puppy Linux or equivalent). Then after a simple reboot, everything's as fresh as brand new--i.e. guaranteed zero residual presence. It could boot from a write protected SD card, a CD-ROM, or do a net-boot.
7. Other ideas?
I wouldn't be surprised if the best answer isn't even on the above list.
Edited by NeverDie, 19 March 2015 - 12:47 AM.