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Patch Tuesday Brought Windows 10 Ad Generator
jones_supa writes: Microsoft has been very aggressive on getting Windows 7 and 8 users to upgrade to Windows 10. The company has introduced a "Get Windows 10" system tray icon, moved the upgrade to "recommended" category in Windows Update, and even initiated the OS download automatically. The latest trick is almost comical: KB3139929 is an actual security update for Internet Explorer, but it also deploys a trojan horse, KB3146449, which is an advertisement generator for Internet Explorer. On computers not joined to a domain, it adds a blue banner when a user opens a new tab, saying "Microsoft recommends upgrading to Windows 10".
That's one thing I've always disliked about Windows updates. Why can't they put a description in Windows Update instead of making us look up KBxxxx? It takes forever to click on them and see what each one claims to do.
"There are a dozen opinions on a matter until you know the truth. Then there is only one." - CS Lewis (paraprhase)
The fact that they are pushing it so hard tells you everything you need to know.
Kirk: You should take the Vulcan too.
Kruge: No.
Kirk: But why?
Kruge: Because you wish it.
- Star Trek III
Microsoft has been collecting this information for years and years. At this point, we've no known security incidents involving the data collected via telemetry. It could have been compromised and they not told us but that's a bit unlikely. At any rate, they've been collecting metrics, in one form or another, since the XP days. They're certainly collecting more now but they do have a history of keeping that data to themselves - at least publicly. And no, I'm posting this from Lubuntu, not a Windows computer. I don't have any computers with Windows installed.
"So long and thanks for all the fish."
They're already adding a trojan to your old version of Windows using a security update, so they can also add the tracking infrastructure as well -- they don't need you to upgrade to Win10 for that. Whatever bad nasty things they have in Windows 10 they can easily add to your old version of Windows as well.
Maybe they're just sick of the old versions making them look bad, and they just want them to go away by replacing them with a better version?
All of which would have been fine if they did it correctly, instead they:
1. Changed default app file associations
2. Upgraded to buggy or non-working drivers
3. Installed unwanted software that was difficult to remove (Windows OneDrive)
4. Installed monitor software that should ask for permission
And probably other issues I've missed. Don't mess up my system which I'm using to do work and depend on for my livelihood.
- Ignores your attempts to disable this activity.
From what I've read it doesn't simply ignore your attempts to disable this activity, it actively bypasses around it by connecting to different servers, etc.
Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
(I'm not the AC you replied to, but I have a similar position on this issue.)
And about the telemetry that most of this is about: I'm actually with a competitor of MS, but we too use telemetry as an incredible useful tool to improve the product for our users. I'm not sure what people believe is being transmitted, because they jumble this issue together with the ad business and personal information/tracking issue, but we have no interest in *your* personal data in a telemetry context. We want to know where our users encounter problems, and what they actually use and prefer, in their use of of the product to improve it.
I'm sure you do want to know that, and I've no reason to doubt your good intentions. The thing is, I work with clients in security-sensitive industries. So regardless of what you'd like to know or whether I believe in your good intentions, the fact is that if you have any phone-home behaviour that I can't completely and reliably disable, my business isn't going to use your product.
Also, it is a bit strange that this anger over tracking of personal data is directed at Microsoft while the really big elephant in the room on this issue is Google.
We don't use a lot of Google services, either, for exactly that reason. Just because we're avoiding Windows 10 in significant part because of the privacy concerns, that doesn't mean we aren't also avoiding other software or services for the same reason.
If you disagree, post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like.