Autoruns vs Conduit

Autoruns shows programs and drivers configured to run during Windows boot, login, or when certain built-in Windows applications start. It reports startup items from locations such as the Startup folder, Registry keys, Explorer extensions, services, scheduled tasks, and Winlogon entries. Users can hide signed Microsoft entries to focus on third-party items, inspect startup images configured for other accounts, and disable an entry or delete its configuration. Scan options include signature verification and VirusTotal hash checks; submitting files not previously scanned requires the upload option, and VirusTotal features require accepting its terms. The download includes Autorunsc, a command-line version that can output CSV or tab-delimited data, verify signatures, and scan an offline Windows system. The Autoruns and Autorunsc download is listed as 3 MB, and Microsoft offers a Sysinternals Live option. Autoruns costs nothing, with no limit on installation or use on devices owned or supported by the user, but no redistribution license. Microsoft says Sysinternals tools are provided as is without official support and points users to a community forum.

Conduit is a remote connection manager that brings SSH terminals, RDP desktops, VNC sessions, and web tools into a tabbed workspace. It includes a native MCP server with tools for terminal, RDP, VNC, web, credential, and vault operations. Conduit can launch Claude Code, Codex, Grok Build, Cursor Agent, OpenClaw, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot, and OpenCode; other MCP-compatible clients can connect. AI inference is not paid for or proxied by Conduit, so an agent runs under the user's provider subscription.

Connection entries and credentials are stored in a local SQLite vault encrypted with AES-256. Encryption keys are derived locally from the master password and are not transmitted to Conduit servers, including for cloud backups. MCP calls use local sockets or named pipes, redact secrets, apply per-tool rate limits, log activity, and require one-off approval for credential reads. Free accounts and local-mode installs are capped at 50 MCP tool calls per day. The free plan includes unlimited connections; Pro is free for 30 days, then costs $10 a month. Desktop versions are available for macOS, Windows, and Linux, with iPhone and iPad companion apps.