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Visual Studio 2015 C++ Compiler Secretly Inserts Telemetry Code Into Binaries (infoq.com)

Posted by msmash on from the Microsoft-things dept.

Reader edxwelch writes: Reddit user sammiesdog discovered recently that Visual Studio 2015 C++ compiler was inserting calls to a Microsoft telemetry function into binaries. "I compiled a simple program with only main(). When looking at the compiled binary in IDA, I see a call for telemetry_main_invoke_trigger and telemetry_main_return_trigger. I cannot find documentation for these calls, either on the web or in the options page," he wrote. Only after the discovery did Steve Carroll, the dev manager for Visual C++ admit to the "feature" and posted a workaround to remove it.A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed the existence of this behavior to InfoQ, adding that the company wil be removing it in a future preview build. For those who wish to get rid of it, the blog writes: Users who have a copy of VS2015 Update 2 and wish to turn off the telemetry functionality currently being compiled into their code should add notelemetry.obj to their linker command line.

6 of 421 comments (clear)

  1. HOLY FREAKIN' FRIP-FROP! by Thud457 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Ken Thompson must be spinning in his grave!

    1984 wasn't intended as an instruction manual.

    --

    the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

    1. Re:HOLY FREAKIN' FRIP-FROP! by vadim_t · · Score: 5, Funny

      He's not dead yet.

    2. Re:HOLY FREAKIN' FRIP-FROP! by geoskd · · Score: 5, Funny

      He's not dead yet.

      True, but if this doesn't give him a massive stroke, I don't know what will.

      --
      I wish I had a good sig, but all the good ones are copyrighted
  2. g++ adds same feature! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Little known fact: g++ has had the same ability to insert spyware for a long time. It's described about line 39885 of the manpage. All you have to do is invoke is via:

    g++ --mrelocate --use-upper-reg-halfs --insert-telemetry-libs --mnetwork-lib --include-nsa-stubs --include-fbi-stubs --omit-eff-stubs --no-powerpc --no-fpu --disable-optimization --use-network-capture-prologs --fuck-snowden --section215-includes --fort-meade-includes --fiveeyes-libs --use-eschelon-libs --omit-greenwald-reporting --prism --enable-gchq-sharing myfile.cpp -o myfile

    That does the same thing as Visual Studio. Easy peasy. Dunno why Microsoft always acts like they invented everything.

  3. Now we know by Alumoi · · Score: 5, Funny

    What compiler MS used for Windows 10.
    'We did not add any telemetry in Windows 10. It was the compiler, I tell you.'

  4. Re:MS still the shitheel of the tech world by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Embedding malware via their compiler? Wow a new low

    No matter how Nadella tries to spin things and give them a new image, MS still sucks worse than ever.

    The moment I'll believe that Microsoft has created a product that doesn't suck is when they start selling vacuum cleaners.