Windows 10: The cover has been blown. EVERYONE is aware of the spying now.

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
Samsung-laptop-702x336.jpg


Windows 10 has been busted. Not only has Windows 10 been busted, but the recent updates adding telemetry to Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 have been exposed as well. The updates add the spying elements to Windows to allow the OS to scan and index all of your folders (private or not) and to send the data to Microsoft. First, lets pin down exactly what this means, so that those who think this is tinfoil hat nonsense will continue to read: https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/servicesagreement/default.aspx

We will access, disclose and preserve personal data, including your content (such as the content of your emails, other private communications or files in private folders), when we have a good faith belief that doing so is necessary to protect our customers or enforce the terms governing the use of the services".

Before going further, take a moment of silence to digest that. The reality is that if you run Windows 10 at all, there are no "private folders". This applies to Windows 7 and 8.1 if you have updates KB3075249 and KB3080149 installed.

KB3075249 “Update that adds telemetry points to consent.exe in Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 ”
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/3075249

KB3080149 “This update aligns down-level devices on the same UTC binary that’s released in Windows 10. This update would enable all the down-level devices to receive the software updates, design updates, and additional power and performance tuning.”
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/3080149

If you have these updates, uninstall them if you do not want to be spied on. You do not have the choice if you are running Windows 10 because you MUST accept all updates and they are automatic and cannot be turned off.

:beckett_new050:
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
Some of the great articles revealing this stuff:

http://www.infoworld.com/article/29...s-kb-3068708-3022345-3075249-and-3080149.html

The writer of this article was trying to quell some of the fears (unsuccessfully, I might add). Microsoft is paying shill mags and spinning angry media outlets in other countries to lower the shouting and jeering. :) Great response in the comments section:

Shame on you for downplaying Microsoft's complete lack of transparency about these updates. Here are pure and simple facts about the updates:

* They are listed for download in Windows Update even if you have explicitly opted out of the CEIP
* They will download and install without even asking *even if you have opted out of the CEIP* if you have told Windows to "Install updates automatically" which is the default and "(recommended)" option, and that most likely used by the average consumer
* Their purpose is intentionally obscured in the update names (they are all hidden under the completely opaque name "Update for Windows 7 for x64-based systems", or similar
* Their purpose is intentionally obscured in the update descriptions, which make no mention of the CEIP or data gathering, and misleadingly claim them only to be updates "to resolve issues in Windows" (which is actually a flat-out lie, given that these updates do not resolve a single "issue")
* They are marked and starred as "Recommended updates"
* Looking in Windows Update, these updates are in no way -- other than clicking the link to open Knowbase or manually Googling the KB number one at a time for every update -- differentiated from other optional updates which customers might strongly *want* to install, such as for example KB3078667 which resolves memory leaks. Both the naming and description are identical for an update that fixes issues damaging to the user experience, and an update whose sole purpose is to gather more information from a customer *even if they have already opted out of that information-gathering process*
* These updates will, even if hidden, repeatedly un-hide themselves again in the hopes that in a future round of updates you will accidentally install them, despite having both opted out of the CEIP *and* explicitly hidden the updates

In a word, Microsoft's actions here are disgusting. They clearly run contrary to their customers desires, and even if you consider pre-installed customers to have received the software free (they didn't, but that's a discussion for another day) these are paying customers in many cases.

I have myself bought multiple copies of Windows 7 at retail, all prior to the introduction of this expanded and intentionally invasive and misleading program. I am now endlessly forced to locate and hide these updates, all so that I can continue to access updates I do actually need such as that fixing the memory leak noted above. The product I purchased has been measurably damaged and my time wasted by this anti-customer behavior on Microsoft's part.

And given your strong suggestion in the headline and subhead (which is all half your readers will ever read of this article) that concern over these updates is unwarranted and that Microsoft's actions and the updates themselves are of little importance, I can only regard you as complicit in their actions.

But then, should I have expected any different from a site which uses Gigya, an equally invasive commenting engine which forces me to provide read/write access to my social networking contacts and public / private profile information, even just to leave a simple comment? I suppose not, because frankly you are just as bad. (Enjoy my Yahoo spambucket account: I never use it for anything but distasteful sites like yours who believe you have a right to my information -- which you do not. It contains no real contacts, and no real profile information.)

Again, I say for shame, and rest assured that I shall not be returning to InfoWorld again and advising others to avoid your site as well.
 
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Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member

ecgordon

Star's Hero
Pardon a question from a computer illiterate, but how do I remove those Windows 7 updates? I checked, and the two you specified in your OP were both downloaded a month ago, 9/9/2015.

EDIT: Never mind. I missed them the first time checking because the 'Date Installed' was different on the remove page than it was on the update page.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
Pardon a question from a computer illiterate, but how do I remove those Windows 7 updates? I checked, and the two you specified in your OP were both downloaded a month ago, 9/9/2015.

EDIT: Never mind. I missed them the first time checking because the 'Date Installed' was different on the remove page than it was on the update page.

There is also the bothersome (and disturbing) way they locked down the GWX folder in System32 (C:\Windows\System32\GWX) This is where the Windows 10 installer lives and where the little taskbar icon which constantly asks you to upgrade to Windows 10 comes from. You cannot just take ownership of it like you can the other folders on your machine (or even within the System32 folder itself!)

Download and run this registry fix to get a context entry in right click for "Take Ownership" here: http://www.askvg.com/add-take-ownership-option-in-file-folder-context-menu-in-windows-vista/

Once the script is run, you will be able to take ownership by right clicking on any folder. Right click C:\Windows\System32\GWX, take ownership and delete. If it tells you that something is open in another folder, then open Task Manager (type taskmgr in start search bar). Look for GWX.exe and end process. Then you can delete the folder. Once done, the icon in the taskbar should go away. Finally, change the settings in Windows Update to never check or download. If you are using Windows Defender, the updates will download using the system account even though you have disabled Windows Update (it has a separate EULA). Download and install Avast Free Antivirus and use that instead.
 

ecgordon

Star's Hero
Okay, I deleted those two, and changed the setting away from automatic updates. Now I have to wonder how many other updates I should be concerned about.

Can Windows update when the computer is off? I noticed the automatic update was set for every day at 3am. Not sure what time zone, but I assume the one I'm in, and I do not leave the computer on overnight. Everything for Microsoft Security Essentials was successfully updated, but several others 'Failed,' including quite a few times for 'Upgrade to Windows 10 Home.' Are they actually trying to install 10 without my permission, or is that just the prompt pop-up window I occasionally see when I boot up?
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
Okay, I deleted those two, and changed the setting away from automatic updates. Now I have to wonder how many other updates I should be concerned about.

Can Windows update when the computer is off? I noticed the automatic update was set for every day at 3am. Not sure what time zone, but I assume the one I'm in, and I do not leave the computer on overnight. Everything for Microsoft Security Essentials was successfully updated, but several others 'Failed,' including quite a few times for 'Upgrade to Windows 10 Home.' Are they actually trying to install 10 without my permission, or is that just the prompt pop-up window I occasionally see when I boot up?

On the first bolded, the answer is NO. The answer to the second bolded is that it will NOT install Windows 10 without your permission, but it will download it (about 6GB). If you follow the second set of directions about the GWX folder, any download of Windows 10 should be deleted by Windows. You can use Disk Cleanup to delete Temporary Windows installation files
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
Wow . Are they in bed with VW for scamming buyers ? ...
Sheeese huh .

:) :) :)

Two things: Its free...you are not buying it. Second, everything they are doing is spelled out in the EULA, and it is more than 12,000 words long and they know nobody really reads it. They have worded things in such a way that they hope end users will not understand exactly what access they are granting to Microsoft and "unspecified partners".

Example:

The Microsoft Services Agreement allows Microsoft to change or discontinue certain apps or content where we deem your security is at risk,” a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement provided to GamesBeat. “This section of the Microsoft Services Agreement is consistent with language in former Terms of Use agreements, which carried over with the introduction of the unified services agreement on August 1. Software that is pirated or botted places the safety and security of our customers at risk, including a higher risk of malware, fraud, public exposure of personal information, and poor performance or feature malfunction. We remain committed to protecting our customers from the risks of non-genuine software and protecting the intellectual property of developers of all types of content.

Translation:

The Microsoft Services Agreement allows us to destroy or disable programs. We will search your computer for pirated or hacked software and destroy them because we feel that having them on your computer and going unpunished threatens the security of our partners who have paid us to punish those who use The Pirate Bay or other torrent sites to get things for free. We gave this piece of shit operating system to you for free, but it is anything but free. Sucker!
 
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Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
Dam I love Linux

;) ;) ;)

Nothing else makes any sense to use on a daily basis. Windows 7 for games though...

The telemetry updates to Windows 7 will not give it the ability to disable pirated games like Windows 10 can, but they will allow it to scan your private folders and report the contents back to Microsoft. I even deleted the virtual machine with Windows 10. :) It can evidently scan the shared host folders/drives. Screw that!
 

Tripler

Well Known GateFan
Nothing else makes any sense to use on a daily basis. Windows 7 for games though...

The telemetry updates to Windows 7 will not give it the ability to disable pirated games like Windows 10 can, but they will allow it to scan your private folders and report the contents back to Microsoft. I even deleted the virtual machine with Windows 10. :) It can evidently scan the shared host folders/drives. Screw that!

Holy Crap . It does its tricks in the VM also ? What a bunch of scum bags huh ... They keep this spy crap up there soon gonna know how much toilet paper we use each day ... I think I'll have some ass wipe paper made with the windows logo on it ...
Each mornin I can show windows 10 exactly what I think of it ...

;) ;) ;)
 
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Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
Holy Crap . It does its tricks in the VM also ? What a bunch of scum bags huh ... They keep this spy crap up there soon gonna know how mych toilet paper we use each day ... I think I'll have some ass wipe paper made with the windows logo on it ...
Each mornin I can show windows 10 exactly what I think of it ...

;) ;) ;)

It can only scan the drives you give it access to. VM shared drives are given read/write permissions as an administrator so YES. It will scan any mapped network drives too. The killer is that this is NOT SECRET. You gave them permission to add this functionality as soon as you installed Windows. I deleted my Windows 10 VM. I have Windows 7 in a VM.
 

Tripler

Well Known GateFan
As you say I also will only use 7 and XP for gaming and not much else . It's just very disturbing as to be so aggresive on the spy level .

:sulkiness: :sulkiness: :sulkiness:
 

Quetesh

Well Known GateFan
I am one who does not allow auto installations but auto downloads for microsoft only. I just checked, sure enough I have both of them in my queue to install. Poof, now they are gone. Thanks for this thread. I guess from now on I will check that queue weekly and look into each update. If you hit "more details" it takes you to a page that says what it is. This is very sneaky indeed and I shall add a link to that article on all my social media and spread the word to all my online communities I frequent. This is a sad day in microsoft history for certain.
 

Joelist

What ship is this?
Staff member
Hi!

There is a control panel for this stuff under Settings. It is Settings > Privacy. You can go down the list and switch off what you wish. It gets fairly detailed in some areas as it shows which apps have access to what hardware too.

priv.jpg
 
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Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
Hi!

There is a control panel for this stuff under Settings. It is Settings > Privacy. You can go down the list and switch off what you wish. It gets fairly detailed in some areas as it shows which apps have access to what hardware too.

View attachment 31886

After turning these things off, Microsoft STILL collects and sends data to Microsoft every time you type a word into the search box on the desktop or ask Cortana for anything (because you cannot use Cortana without turning on the spyware). With ALL of those settings off, Windows 10 will still scan all folders (there are no more private folders), and disable/destroy pirated software or illegally downloaded music).

BY DEFAULT, everything bad about Windows 10 will be active from the very first login. Reading the EULA is a horror story and worded in such a way as to obfuscate what access it grants and what you are agreeing to when you use the software.

More arrogantly obtuse "features"

Wifi Sense - shares your wireless access with contacts without asking.
Windows Update will use your internet connection as a P2P node to deliver updates to you or other PCs not on your network.

More recommended settings to disable and why:

http://gadgets.ndtv.com/laptops/fea...hould-change-immediately-after-install-744550

The point of this thread is to discourage people from using this blatantly intrusive and dishonestly created and distributed operating system. Microsoft is the BAD GUY in this, and there is no way to change that. When people install software, or a piece of hardware or buy a car, it should not be set to work against your privacy and your well being BY DEFAULT, even if you can fix it by changing settings.. The settings should be OFF by default.

I do not recommend this operating system AT ALL. The negatives outweigh the positives. Microsoft has had this problem with trust, and they have simply added more distrust to the already overwhelming perception. Windows 10 could kill Microsoft. Everyone who has upgraded to it that I know, has reverted to their previous OS. More than a few who had deleted the old OS to make room just decided to start over with a new install of the old OS. It's that bad. Enterprises are ignoring this OS like they ignored Windows 8 and 8.1.

To get a sample of what type of data is collected, one need only activate Family Settings and look at the report it generates on users it monitors.

When a for-profit company gives something away....

product.jpg
 
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Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
BTW quick question, what can people do stuck with windows 10 to get away from this stuff? Like on a new computer?

Delete it and install Windows 7.
 

Tripler

Well Known GateFan
So I did the delete of the 2 updates and installed Take Ownership and deleted GXW but the icon is still in with the hidden icons ... I did your recommended process in both my real win7 and my VM win7 . Is there another step to remove that stupid update to ten icon ?

:) :) :)
 
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