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All Microsoft Updates Phone Home

Posted by samzenpus on from the always-watching-you dept.

juct writes "In the wake of heise Security's report on the garrulous WGA Notification, Microsoft has now supplied additional details on the data sent. They have revealed to developers that apparently all updates relay information to the company in Redmond."

3 of 233 comments (clear)

  1. Success/Failure/______/etc./ (Profit?) by Mateo_LeFou · · Score: 5, Insightful

    TFA: "In the Privacy Statement of Windows Update Microsoft grants itself fairly far-reaching rights. Thus the information collected by the Redmond-based behemoth includes the computer make and model, version information for the operating system, browser, and any other Microsoft software for which updates might be available, Plug&Play ID numbers of hardware devices, region and language setting, Globally Unique Identifier (GUID), Product ID and Product Key, BIOS name, revision number, and revision date"

    Kinda sad that we just assume letting vendors capture all this info is part of the game (i.e. necessary to make the update work right). Wrong. When I do "yum upgrade" -- as far as I know -- not a single piece of information about my system goes up the wire. Correct me if I'm wrong.

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  2. Re:All updates relay Information... by Lothsahn · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'll bite:
    Computer make and model -- needed for drivers for specific manufacturers and models. Do you really want to apply a HP patch on a Dell system?

    Version information for all installed Microsoft software -- Needed to calculate whether or not updates are needed for Windows Media player, etc. Remember, Windows update does more than just Windows--it also updates all included bundled software with Windows.

    Note: Sending information about non-bundled software is needed for Microsoft Update, but not Windows Update. Perhaps lazy coding there--wouldn't YOU want to share the hardware/software detection code for both update utilities?

    Plug&Play ID numbers of hardware devices -- Well, it does update hardware drivers...

    # Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) -- This seems completely unnecessary.

    BIOS name, revision number, and revision date -- I'm not sure, but I believe they may also provide manufacturer-supplied BIOS updates for some manufacturers.

    I'm no huge fan of Microsoft, and I'm not saying Microsoft isn't misusing the information, but in 4 out of 5 cases this seems necessary for the service they are providing. Remember, Windows Update updates drivers, hardware, and bundled software too. Microsoft Update services Microsoft software as well.

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    -=Lothsahn=-
  3. Re:All updates relay Information... by QRDeNameland · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You realize that the complete list of patches and optional downloads, for all supported versions of all supported products, is likely to be freaking huge? You wouldn't want it downloading that every time you run Windows Update - especially not dial-up users.

    I seem to remember Windows Update in Win2000 prominently displayed a message: "Checking your computer for installed updates...this is done without sending any information to Microsoft." And it only downloaded the updates I needed, not every one for every supported product.

    Did something fundamental change as to why that system can't work anymore?

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    Momentarily, the need for the construction of new light will no longer exist.