An experiment appeared recently on YouTube -- a copy of Windows XP was left alone connected to the internet. It took just minutes for it to become a disaster.
tomshardware[.]com/software/windows/idle-windows-xp-and-2000-machines-get-infected-with-viruses-within-minutes-of-being-exposed-online
It seems clear that we need some sort of protection, but what is enough? Personally I don't want the responsibility, or put another way, I have too much of a conscience to answer that question. The impact of being wrong would effect Real People. Some alleged experts say Windows Defender is enough, while others say you need 3rd party AV software, and many of them might make some money, depending on what you decide. And then there's UnHackMe, a supplementary anti-malware app. For the most part can't hurt, but no one can say with any certainty that it'll save your Windows PC/laptop/tablet from being compromised. As counterpoint, ALL software consumes some resources, just as ALL software may have compatibility issues with something else. You run into that if all you ever install is Windows.
There is a portable version of UnHackMe, but it will not register with the GOTD key we're given. Installation adds the program's folder, plus a folder in Public Documents. The driver situation is confusing. I chose to only install the app, and nothing optional during the monitored installation. InstallWatch Pro recorded both 32-bit & 64-bit drivers added, but only the 32-bit version actually existed. The registry OTOH showed a new driver installed, but that did not physically exist either. It's possible the installation routine adds drivers but when I chose not to install any services it deleted them (?). The registry gets 2 Greatis keys, a key for Regrun2 from Greatis, a key for ASProtect, app protection software for devs, an uninstall key, and one new driver key. [FWIW, the software will run copied to a copy of Windows where it has not been installed.]
On a side note, on the GOTD download page gergn attracted some misplaced controversy posting what Chat GPT and similar said about UnHackMe. FWIW, AI isn't intelligent -- it just gives you a condensed overview of what's already on the web, good info along with the bad, same as if you searched if there was no such thing as SEO, and much faster than you can accomplish because the AI model has already gobbled up that content, storing it locally. Because there is SEO however, gergn's asking ChatGPT etc., is not only legitimate, but worthwhile -- the top hits after performing a Google search are *More* likely to be garbage / clickbait than the more reasoned opinions surfaced by ChatGPT and the like.
theverge[.]com/23846048/google-search-memes-images-pagerank-altavista-seo-keywords
theverge[.]com/features/23931789/seo-search-engine-optimization-experts-google-results