Windows 10 "phones home" thousands of times each day

[TI-994A]

Based strictly on the contents of your posts, my advice is for you to take your own advice about not whining.

How a few words can paint a picture.

[heartbone]

Based strictly on the contents of your posts, my advice is for you to take your own advice about not whining.

How a few words can paint a picture.

Thank you for acknowledging that.

[TI-994A]

Based strictly on the contents of your posts, my advice is for you to take your own advice about not whining.

How a few words can paint a picture.

Thank you for acknowledging that.

Not at all. Always happy to enlighten the dimwitted.

[heartbone]

Windows 10 Privacy and Freedom Concerns Surrounding the EULA


The biggest reason that many more people do not share these concerns is that no one on mainstream TV is mentioning it.

[Thunder93]

Microsoft first mistake was releasing Windows 10 for free, for a year. Different ones all over the Internet, and people I've talked to face-2-face can't compute how Windows 10 can be giving for free. This is when short-sighted people, start lifting up rocks all over the place trying to find fault. These people are also more acceptable to rumours, even ridiculous and most illogical ones.

Microsoft has big plans, and it doesn't involve being short-changed. Microsoft playing catch-up, to compete with Apple and Google by having a Store. While I'm still with local user account, not with Microsoft account, so I'm not experienced with Windows Store. That being said, I do believe reading some place that all store apps requires to be digitally signed .. by Microsoft. Money being shovelled to Microsoft. I've read something about Microsoft takes 30% cute of all app purchases.

From my perspective, perhaps flawed. However I don't see Microsoft loosing out any by handing Windows 10 for free for a year. Microsoft may even extend this period, as far as I can see, there's no loss here for Microsoft.

Microsoft is making every effort to get Windows 7 users to jump on-board with the Windows 10 and Windows Store. Aggressively, I agree! Microsoft reasoning, to benefit from the extra security, and even performance. The two most favourite words we love to hear. However you can't say its a ruse, both things are apparent to most.

Microsoft knows Windows 7 users are potential money bags. I've seen how easy the average Joe and Jane who jumped from Windows 7 and became comfortable in purchasing off of Microsoft Store.

All this Microsoft spying nonsense, why Microsoft risk being sued. Risk a lot to spy. There's always intelligent people able to uncover deepest secrets. To this day, the only thing Microsoft can be accused of is aggressively tracking with Windows default configuration.

In regards to the OP post; “ Windows 10 "phones home" thousands of times each day.”
~ A February article by Ed Bott, which I finally found again, covered underneath this viral report based on amateur analysts.

“When it comes to Windows 10 privacy, don't trust amateur analysts

Another day, another sensational report from Forbes. Oh my goodness, is Windows 10 really "phoning home" thousands of times a day? Nope. In fact, anyone who has even a basic understanding of how networks work should cringe at this shoddy report.” - http://www.zdnet.com/article/when-it-co ... -analysts/

[DontTalkToMe]

I still don't want an OS installing what it wants when it wants risking to damage my installation.

http://www.purebasic.fr/english/viewtop ... 98#p475698

Also, as said there, I would like to know what it would like to install it's supposed to do and decide if I want it or not.

Did they fix all this in the meantime ?

[DontTalkToMe]

No.

March 2016

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/03/17 ... _humanity/

“The lack of transparency, specifically regarding documetation, creates huge problems for business users. The biggest beef I might have with that s that it’s a 'lie of omission'” says Pott, because for many patches, the documentation doesn't disclose the full extent of their behaviour."

“... removing user options for how they control, delay, prune, filter or throttle patches,” says Pott. "Sysadmins want clarity on what's in patches and control over all aspects of their systems – it's a pack of vague lies, outright lies and misinformation.”

Don't know why they just talk about the rightful concerns of "business users" and "sysadmins" like if the average Joe were someone you can abuse to death without consequences.

On second thought considering the adoption rate of Win 10 is already > 1% they are probably right. If no one were using it MS would certainly take notice and backpedal on some of these arrogant choices, so thank you.

In any case, those limitations are still there.

[Bo Marchais]

Well, I don't have a position on what microsoft gets to do. I think the correct answer is anything they want.
Pleaase don't think that ubuntu (or any redhat based distribution) is any better... it's not. MS got inside them
a long time ago, and they're only marginally more secure.

I will say that I get to review the network traffic details for lots of businesses. All post-GWX windows 7
systems have dramatically increased the amount of OUTBOUND traffic from the workstations. Windows 10
outbound traffic dwarfs Windows 7... unless Windows 7, Vista (and now XP) systems have been patched.
You can see it yourself - all of the formerly quiet networks have gotten noisy. And you can't block it.

I will also say that running a packet sniffer on a freshly installed Windows 10 box is quite interesting.
If you transfer a stack of data files onto that system, or a handful of zip files, you'll see magic in action!
It's not just all your key strokes.

Having said that... It's nothing new.
Your private data has been fondled, check-summed and "borrowed" by MS since Win98se. They were using
it in partnership to locate "bad guys" a long time ago and nobody's ever thought of suing them over it.

They've been hashing user files and uploading the digests for ages now... that's old, old news. All the major
vendors grab screen/webcam images just because... for testing and quality purposes. Again, not new.
Lenovo is the worst, followed by dell, hp, gateway, sony, e-machines and everyone else.

It's faster these days - it's handy for MS to have backups of your files for leisurely inspection in the cloud.
For all manner of security applications! They might even be able to stop viruses with all this data one day.
I wouldn't hold my breath.

Microsoft isn't even being opaque about it...they just want you to pay $80 a month to use their software.
And if selling off your data helps reimburse their operating costs, so much the better for them.

The privacy stuff is all long, long gone. Got a cellphone or use the internet? If you do, there's no point in
getting upset over microsoft's proctoscopic research into their customer base - it's a drop in the bucket.
Your only way out of the future is to move to the Oregon forest, build a little shack, fill it with books and
write lots of angry letters to important people.

That never seems to work out very well over the long run, though.

[Bo Marchais]

"In fact, anyone who has even a basic understanding of how networks work should cringe at this shoddy report.”

Addict -
Agreed. Media often exaggerates. A cleaned up win10 box only phones home a dozen or so times a day.
And it's not like MS is capturing data that a dozen different companies don't already get from you. Giving
them copies of everything you write and what websites you visit is just the cost of using Win10. Don't like
it? Use Windows for Workgroups. Or better yet, CP/M!

I just don't see why everyone is up in arms. All this stuff has been going on since ~1999/2000 and people are
just now getting worked up? It's like complaining that robbers didn't wipe their feet before they stole all your
possessions and sold your house to a Chinese real estate developer who knocked it down and built an empty
apartment block (which coincidentally collapsed just moments before you got to your driveway) in it's place.

To paraphrase a famous man: Get over it - It's just a g*****d floor mat.

It's a little pointless to mourn it now.

[heartbone]

Well, I don't have a position on what microsoft gets to do. I think the correct answer is anything they want.
Pleaase don't think that ubuntu (or any redhat based distribution) is any better... it's not. MS got inside them
a long time ago, and they're only marginally more secure.

You just inferred that Ubuntu Linux sends encrypted files and keystrokes to Microsoft or Canonical servers.
Is that (FUD) merely your opinion, or is it a fact hidden from Ubuntu users?
Did you know about this? http://fossbytes.com/the-spyware-featur ... ial-xerus/

I will say that I get to review the network traffic details for lots of businesses. All post-GWX windows 7
systems have dramatically increased the amount of OUTBOUND traffic from the workstations. Windows 10
outbound traffic dwarfs Windows 7... unless Windows 7, Vista (and now XP) systems have been patched.
You can see it yourself - all of the formerly quiet networks have gotten noisy. And you can't block it.

You are WRONG.
If as a Win 7 user you uninstall this list of updates, then the new traffic should be blocked, right?

Code: Select all

Windows® 7 Updates - considered spyware related 3/15/16

KB2545698
KB2592687
KB2876229
KB2923545
KB2952664
KB2976978
KB2977759
KB2990214
KB2994023
KB3012973
KB3021917
KB3022345
KB3035583
KB3050265
KB3065987
KB3068707
KB3068708
KB3075249
KB3075851
KB3080149
KB3083324
KB3083710
KB3086255  secdrv
KB3090045
KB3112343
KB3123862
KB3135445
KB3138612
KB3139929
KB3146449

At this point it is not too late to fix the problem.
If you decide to debug your Windows® 7 system, beware that the KB3035583 (the GWX rabbit hole) install needs a manual pre-uninstall process to prevent the persistent reappearance of it after a normal uninstall is applied. The information at that last link could change as M$ mutates the KB3035583 malware update. After the pre-uninstall, then removing all the malware updates at one time before re-booting the system works for me.

I will also say that running a packet sniffer on a freshly installed Windows 10 box is quite interesting.
If you transfer a stack of data files onto that system, or a handful of zip files, you'll see magic in action!
It's not just all your key strokes.

You call it magic, I'll call it unethical abuse of the Vista 10 flock.

Having said that... It's nothing new.
Your private data has been fondled, check-summed and "borrowed" by MS since Win98se. They were using
it in partnership to locate "bad guys" a long time ago and nobody's ever thought of suing them over it.

Of course people have thought about suing M$.
However the ability to prove their activity was illegal without specific consumer protection laws was problematic.

Bo, our recognizing, identifying, and re-mediating corporate abuse will become more and more important as the globalist takeover of national governments increases.
Rationalizing their bullying behavior would be one of their tactics, and I believe that I am reading text which conforms with that tactic within your postings.
I suppose that we are on opposite sides of this particular issue, but I'll continue to do what I can against what I consider to be abusive behavior.

[Bo Marchais]

heartbone, look at the post again.
sometimes sarcasm is too subtle.

Re: Linux

I don't know how familiar you are with the underpinnings of linux, or the people behind
the scenes. It's easy to see how much better it is than windows, certainly... but people
are people, and people have weaknesses. I often see people make statements about
technology that are perhaps more religious than scientific. In fact, I see a lot of people
make religious statements about science itself, without realizing that the "devil is in the
details", as they say. Science is only science when you understand how it works.

About ubuntu...

Would I prefer it as being more secure than windows? Yes. But I have no illusions - Ubuntu
is the canary, and the canary is missing a lot of feathers lately. I'm a linux fan (trust me on
that) but I'm in a unique position to see things from underneath. There is continuous pressure
to make linux go down the same path as windows...and it's not imaginary in the least.
There are many purposely installed security flaws, and it's getting worse with time.

You know all that stuff you've read about windows? The same things get written
about linux, although nobody reads them because it's all in dull, boring mailing lists
haunted by Kernel Devs and developers and wingnuts. It's better than Windows -
but not that much. You might think I have no idea what I'm talking about, but I'm
certain you'll read about it long after it's old news...just like the things that are
bothering you now about Windows 10. Nothing ever happens overnight.

Really, Ubuntu is the microsoft of the linux world.
but all that aside...

You are WRONG.
If as a Win 7 user you uninstall this list of updates, then the new traffic should be blocked, right?

Maybe I wasn't being precise enough, I think? I meant that even if you block all the registered
[official] networks for MS, the data will still be sent out. They're using 3rd party networks now.
And even if you undo all the KBs you list, you cannot undo certain modifications they made to
the operating system when they were installed. Read that again - It is what it is.
Even XP is getting updates...not officially, but it still happens.

KB3035583

It's not just a manual uninstall to avoid the bullet.
They've put similar functionality in other updates. They want Win7 to go away. User's don't.
The fun thing is when they do updates after 5583 and HIDE all the updates from you. MS doesn't
do the same things to everyone - they test things out by sending them to random groups of users
and seeing who complains.

It's all very tedious, I'm afraid.
And like I said... people are responsible for the implications of what they do. It's not my
concern if they don't want to bother with the fine print and then discover years later that
they gave everything away. It's the circle of life.

[heartbone]

heartbone, look at the post again.
sometimes sarcasm is too subtle.

Yes.

About ubuntu... {snip} It's better than Windows - but not that much.

Something like being only a little more pregnant than not?
There are only two ways to set a binary switch.
Closed or Open.
source

Really, Ubuntu is the microsoft of the linux world.

Hadn't thought about that. It makes good sense.

And even if you undo all the KBs you list, you cannot undo certain modifications they made to
the operating system when they were installed. Read that again - It is what it is.

I can believe that, which is why any future Microsoft sourced patching to any Win 7 systems under my administration will be very, very selective and delayed.

Even XP is getting updates...not officially, but it still happens.

I've never accepted any of those Microsoft Malicious Software Removal updates, and as of last week M$ was still attempting to push that crap onto my computer.

KB3035583- It's not just a manual uninstall to avoid the bullet.
They've put similar functionality in other updates. They want Win7 to go away. User's don't.

It is unknown just to what extent Microsoft will go to discourage users from continuing to consider Windows® 7 as the new Windows® XP.
I expect more and more dirty tactics to marginalize Win7.

It's not my concern if they don't want to bother with the fine print and then discover years later that
they gave everything away. It's the circle of life.

It's my concern, and this technology implementation has very little to do with the circle of life.
I don't want the computing freedom that Windows® 7 allows, to become force obsoleted.

Although I'm certain that you have, most haven't grokked that right now Microsoft is taking away user's choice.
http://forum.daemon-tools.cc/f26/micros ... oss-36766/
When enough people have their Win7 taken away or voluntarily give it up, then that sets up the feedback conditions to squash its use out of acceptability.
If people were leaving for Linux, I would not be as concerned, but now the trend is not good.
Think about the ramifications set up by Microsoft's unilateral decision to remove the functionality as noted in the link above.
I do imagine that one day in the near future Microsoft will fix it so their Windows users won't be able to run VLC and like software to play DVDs, due to DRM "concerns", and it'd likely be a violation of that Vista 10 EULA to remedy the situation.

[Bo Marchais]

See the pm. The world has changed, and we must adapt and thrive, as humans always do.