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Just stumbled upon this article published today. I know a lot of you guys play computer games so I thought I'd make this heads-up post.  I don't have any pirated games on my Win 10 PC but I have on a few occasions in the past tried cracked PC games (I'm mostly a console gamer (non-pirated) ) . It is not clear whether Microsoft intends to forward the data it collects to the authorities.

http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2015/08/17/microsoft-is-allowing-itself-to-detect-pirated-games-on-your-windows-10-pc/

whether it is as if recording the personal data of users, my friends?

Microsoft literally screwed up this time in my honest opinion , none of their previous like that . their latest windows release may be fast and have a lot of new features however for what comes to privacy .. It's fucked up. This what happens when you become NSA's bitch

Why do you think they wouldn't forward it to the authorities? They already have it in their terms that if the authorities ask, they will receive without needing a warrant as far as it reads.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/privacystatement/default.aspx

"Finally, 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:

    comply with applicable law or respond to valid legal process, including from law enforcement or other government agencies;
    protect our customers, for example to prevent spam or attempts to defraud users of the services, or to help prevent the loss of life or serious injury of anyone;
    operate and maintain the security of our services, including to prevent or stop an attack on our computer systems or networks; or
    protect the rights or property of Microsoft, including enforcing the terms governing the use of the services - however, if we receive information indicating that someone is using our services to traffic in stolen intellectual or physical property of Microsoft, we will not inspect a customer's private content ourselves, but we may refer the matter to law enforcement. "

This particular thing is nothing to do with the NSA, it's the copyright lobbyists who go around threatening these software creators into doing something about filesharing, too bad for them people always find a way to reverse engineer this stuff or they simply won't stick with any later versions of Windows anymore.

You see it happen with google and other games publishers, torrentfreak is a very good source for this kind of news.

Meh its not good im staying well clear of windows 10, i like to pirate stream sports matches and movies way too often ;D

Ubuntu....??

What if you want to play SC2??

Installing stuff on Ubuntu makes me want to punch myself in the face...

This is really bad.. stuck between a rock and a hard place I am...

I wish there was an inperson ubuntu course...

What about old ROMs?

http://minionvilla.com/2014/03/microsoft-charges-the-fbi-for-user-information/

... "So the issue is not that Microsoft copper to give this information, but it is striking that there are so many “suspects” whom the FBI demanding information."

I guess they don't call him "Bill" Gates for nothing.

https://i.imgur.com/MU3oUCg.jpg

Another reason to avoid Windows 10.
This is out in the open. Who knows what else information they collect from your computer?

Maybe I will be the only voice against you all guys but me seems correct is windows 10 and Microsft is allowing itself to detect pirates games on its operative system. There are tons of work behind every game and it is not right that those not be bought to give the owners their money and their sweat. Simple: it is not right to steal the authors.

Not sure what you're getting at here, your highlighted text merely confirms the last line of my comment. They said "we may refer..." and not "we will refer..." which means they may or may not do it. They have not clearly defined a situation where enforcing the law would be inevitable.




I respect that and that's exactly the way it should be in an ideal world. However this world is neither ideal nor is it fair. Most people can only ever truly understand one side of the story, their side. The fear of losing themselves, of losing their identities prevents them from truly walking in the other side's shoes. Extremism in defense of one's side is borne of this very fear.

To be honest this is probably them trying to protect their income more than anything, but this sort of stuff is just going to push people more towards open source operating systems as we're being spied on from almost everything we do on a computer and online and it needs to stop. I hope most things become decentralized eventually.

I know man , but the only problem with Windows is that the whole world is using it . most of the games dosen't work on other Operating systems etc ...
So even if someone wants to switch he can't because he will need something else on his PC that he can't get unless he have Windows installed and I don't Virtual machines are the solution because everyboody prefer having their softwares , games etc .. on their main OS.

http://www.theverge.com/2015/8/17/9167203/windows-10-privacy-scare-cloud-privacy

"But while software has changed, the world has been changing around it. Corporate clouds aren't as secure as they once were, and we've seen them compromised by government spies and Redditors alike. Last year, Microsoft chased down an in-house leaker by peeking into a private blogger's Hotmail account, offering profuse apologies after the fact."

"In the weeks after its release, Windows 10 users have noticed something strange — it's always phoning home. Last week, an Ars Technica investigation found Windows computers sending data back to Microsoft servers even after services like Cortana and OneDrive had been disabled, in one case even sending back a message as soon as users hit the Start button."

Like privacy? Don't upgrade, instead switch to a new computer OS, or keep your hands off your computer altogether.

Heard microsoft was giving free upgrade to windows 10, now I know the reason why. You just made me never want to switch to windows 10.

I think one of the most interesting things I ever learned was in a marketing class. My professor stated that no product is given for free, and if it is then you are the product. This statement falls perfectly in line with Windows 10 and the massive amounts of data that it detects.

Totally agree with you, because I think about this version as you. Windows 10 is freely available and it is suspect. Who knows how vulnerable will be information about you after this installation?

Katherine Albrecht: Windows 10 Is Full Blown Electronic Tyranny (https://youtu.be/GLiozMpqV80?t=26s) - Great interview with Katherine about Windows 10 security.

https://i.imgur.com/BfPPqlH.gif

Rolling Back From Windows 10 To Your Older OS Appears Problematic

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/windows-10-revert-os,29727.html (http://www.tomshardware.com/news/windows-10-revert-os,29727.html)

The only way to know if you like Windows 10 or not, of course, is to upgrade your system and give it a try. However, if you want to go back to your old OS, it appears that you're on a timer: Microsoft confirmed to Tom's Hardware that users will have only one month to decide if they want to continue with Windows 10 or not. A moderator on Tom's Hardware (darkbreeze) first discovered this issue, and when we reached out to Microsoft for more information, the answers we received raised some troubling potential issues.

Our initial thought was that this "one month" business simply meant you couldn't revert directly back to an old OS from Windows 10, but what about rolling back by simply performing a clean installation of your old OS? When we asked about that specifically, Microsoft dodged the question. At this point, then, we aren't certain if you can return to your old OS by using a clean install, because it is possible that Microsoft will invalidate old activation codes after that first month. This would seem in some way to align with Microsoft's upgrade deal, as you can only get your free Windows 10 by upgrading from your old OS; you can't use an old activation code.

If you want a clean install of Windows 10, you must first upgrade from your old OS to Windows 10, and then re-install Windows 10 again (from installation media). Even though it formats your hard drive during installation, Windows 10 somehow remembers that you previously upgraded from an older OS, and it will self-activate after installation. It isn't clear how Windows 10 does this, but it's likely because it saves the activation code somewhere else inside of your hardware. Some sort of online account-based activation would be far more conventional, but there is reason to suspect this other method is being used.

Microsoft informed us that a "meaningful" change to the hardware may require you to contact customer support in order to activate the system. This means that if you upgrade your system with a new motherboard or CPU, you may not be able to install Windows 10 without having to go through Microsoft's customer support, and even then, you may not be able to activate the system. Microsoft has stated that even with customer support, some hardware changes will invalidate your free copy of Windows 10 and require you to purchase one.

The problem gets worse for users who have a part go bad and need a replacement, as they don't have a choice; they need to fix the part or they can't use their PC, and the cost of that repair, then, would also have to include whatever Microsoft is charging for a new copy of Windows 10 at the time. You could simply go back to your old OS at that point to save a buck, but - again, if Microsoft invalidates your old activation code, you may be stuck having to buy a new copy of Windows 10 anyway.

Source: Tom's Hardware (http://www.tomshardware.com/news/windows-10-revert-os,29727.html)

http://www.noobsforever.net/et/images/windows10_squares10_logo.gif

Why Windows 10 Sucks Or Everything Wrong with Windows 10

http://linuxfonts.narod.ru/why-windows-10-sucks.html (http://linuxfonts.narod.ru/why-windows-10-sucks.html)

This article was not created to say that Linux is better (it's definitely not). It was created to stop Microsoft fans roaring in regard to Windows 10 and how it's better than Windows 7 in every regard - it's actually worse in most regards aside from DirectX 12 (which is actually hidden from the user and it's only exposed in games).

* Windows 10 spies (https://edri.org/microsofts-new-small-print-how-your-personal-data-abused/) on (http://localghost.org/posts/a-traffic-analysis-of-windows-10) you (http://fudzilla.com/news/38470-windows-10-sniffs-for-piracy) aka phones home (http://arstechnica.co.uk/information-technology/2015/08/even-when-told-not-to-windows-10-just-cant-stop-talking-to-microsoft/) (welcome NSA/CIA/thoughtcrime/1984)!

* You've got no real control over crucial features of the OS:

   - Windows 10 will have no service packs which means it will always be a work in progress and you are a perpetual beta tester.
   - Forced upgrades you cannot opt out of (and Microsoft have borked quite a lot of them recently so prepare to see your Windows die after installing a new portion of updates - actually Microsoft has already borked one update, read horror stories about KB3081424).

* Windows 10 features terrible UI inconsistency (http://www.windowscentral.com/windows-10-problems-missing-features), not limited to:

   - Two kinds of fonts antialiasing (ClearType v2 for classic applications and some awful dirty grayish (http://az648995.vo.msecnd.net/win/2015/05/101030-Start-Settings.png) shit for Modern apps).
   - All kinds of varying visual decorations and styles (some people have discovered up to seven varying styles in Windows 10).
   - Absolutely dissimilar classic and modern (PC settings) control panels.
   - Different fonts faces and sizes all around.
   - Different styles of settings for modern apps.
   - Absolutely different context menus and their appearance in different applications and apps.

* Terrible hardly configurable appearance, dubious design choices and extremely limited functionality (vs Windows 7/XP):

   - Two Control Panels with absolutely zero thought given to how they differ and why each one should be used.
   - Some Control Widgets are spread between the two Control Panels which is utterly confusing (e.g. Users Management).
   - No Windows classic UI for windows decorations. Windows decorations can hardly be configured at all in Windows 10.
   - An awful choice of colors/palette.
   - Absolutely awful, childish and amateurish icons (http://linuxfonts.narod.ru/files/windows-10-icons.png) as if we live in the era of 8bit displays (only rivalled by those in Windows 3.1 (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/73/Windows_3.11_workspace.png) from 1992). Windows 2000 in 1999 looked better (http://winsupersite.com/site-files/winsupersite.com/files/archive/winsupersite.com/content/content/127365/reviews/pro_2.gif) than Windows 10 in 2015.
   - A big number of Windows 10 apps are still NOT on par with their classical counterparts from Windows 7/Vista/XP (many features are missing or many options are not configurable).
   - The start menu is an unusable abomination. Applications are listed as a list which is nigh impossible to scroll.

* Windows 10 sucks terribly if you are an unlucky user of a metered Internet connection:

   - It features huge mandatory system and apps updates (you cannot disable them, you can only postpone the system reboot after their installation).
   - As if it wasn't enough, Windows 10 gets downloaded automatically if you run Windows 7 or 8.1. We are talking about 3 gigabytes of data some people absolutely do not need.
   - It uses your free bandwidth to distribute updates to other users nearby you.

* With Wi-Fi sense (http://www.osnews.com/permalink?616020) enabled anyone you have in your Skype, Outlook or Hotmail contacts lists — and any of your Facebook friends — can be granted automatic access to your Wi-Fi network as long as they're within range.

* A newly created user profile weighs over 300MB (!) while containing zero (!) information about the user.

* A newly created user profile is populated with all the default apps instead of giving the user a choice.

* In certain cases Windows 10 may kill your display if you are an unlucky owner of a laptop made by Alienware (http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/windows-10-upgrade-warning-for-alienware-owners.779449/), LG or Samsung (https://forums.geforce.com/default/topic/862417/geforce-drivers/windows-10-official-353-62-drivers-are-killing-samsung-and-lg-notebook-lcd-display-panels/1/).

Just before you call me anti-Microsoft, a Linux shill, zealot or fanatic, here's a wonderful list (http://linuxfonts.narod.ru/why.linux.is.not.ready.for.the.desktop.current.html) of Linux problems that I've been compiling over the past six years. The truth is I don't plead allegiance to any OS on the market. So, sorry, Windows 10 sucks no less than Linux sucks, it just sucks differently. So far, Microsoft has two great modern OSes: Windows XP and Windows 7 (in the past they had rock solid Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000).

Sources:

http://linuxfonts.narod.ru/why-windows-10-sucks.html (http://linuxfonts.narod.ru/why-windows-10-sucks.html)
https://edri.org/microsofts-new-small-print-how-your-personal-data-abused/ (https://edri.org/microsofts-new-small-print-how-your-personal-data-abused/)
http://localghost.org/posts/a-traffic-analysis-of-windows-10 (http://localghost.org/posts/a-traffic-analysis-of-windows-10)
http://fudzilla.com/news/38470-windows-10-sniffs-for-piracy (http://fudzilla.com/news/38470-windows-10-sniffs-for-piracy)
http://arstechnica.co.uk/information-technology/2015/08/even-when-told-not-to-windows-10-just-cant-stop-talking-to-microsoft/ (http://arstechnica.co.uk/information-technology/2015/08/even-when-told-not-to-windows-10-just-cant-stop-talking-to-microsoft/)
http://www.windowscentral.com/windows-10-problems-missing-features (http://www.windowscentral.com/windows-10-problems-missing-features)
http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/windows-10-upgrade-warning-for-alienware-owners.779449/ (http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/windows-10-upgrade-warning-for-alienware-owners.779449/)
https://forums.geforce.com/default/topic/862417/geforce-drivers/windows-10-official-353-62-drivers-are-killing-samsung-and-lg-notebook-lcd-display-panels/1/ (https://forums.geforce.com/default/topic/862417/geforce-drivers/windows-10-official-353-62-drivers-are-killing-samsung-and-lg-notebook-lcd-display-panels/1/)

http://www.noobsforever.net/et/images/windows10_squares10_logo.gif

A Traffic Analysis Of Windows 10

http://localghost.org/posts/a-traffic-analysis-of-windows-10 (http://localghost.org/posts/a-traffic-analysis-of-windows-10)

A Czech guy did a traffic analysis of data produced by Windows 10, and released his findings the other day. His primary thesis was that Windows 10 acts more like a terminal than an operating system - because of the extent of the "cloud" integration, a large portion of the OS functions are almost dependent on remote (Microsoft's) servers. The amount of collected information, even with strict privacy settings, is quite alarming.

Information transmitted

All text typed on the keyboard is stored in temporary files, and sent (once per 30 mins) to:


The implications of this are significant: because this is an OS-level keylogger, all the data you're trying to transmit securely is now sitting on some MS server. This includes passwords and encrypted chats. This also includes the on-screen keyboard, so there is no way to authenticate to a website without MS also getting your password.

Telemetry is sent once per 5 minutes, to:


You might think that "telemetry" has to do with OS usage or similar... turns out it's telemetry about the user. For example, typing a phone number anywhere into the Edge browser transmits it to the servers above. In another example, typing the name of any popular movie into your local file search starts a telemetry process that indexes all media files on your computer and transmits them to:


When a webcam is first enabled, ~35mb of data gets immediately transmitted to:


Everything that is said into an enabled microphone is immediately transmitted to:


If this weren't bad enough, this behaviour still occurs after Cortana is fully disabled/uninstalled. It's speculated that the purpose of this function to build up a massive voice database, then tie those voices to identities, and eventually be able to identify anyone simply by picking up their voice, whether it be a microphone in a public place or a wiretap on a payphone.

Interestingly, if Cortana is enabled, the voice is first transcribed to text, then the transcription is sent to:


If Windows is left unattended for ~15 mins, a large volume of traffic starts being transmitted to various servers. This may be the raw audio data, rather than just samples.

Other concerns

While the inital reflex may be to block all of the above servers via HOSTS, it turns out this won't work: Microsoft has taken the care to hardcode certain IPs, meaning that there is no DNS lookup and no HOSTS consultation. However, if the above servers are blocked via HOSTS, Windows will pretend to be crippled by continuously throwing errors, while still maintaining data collection in the background. Other than an increase in errors, HOSTS blocking did not affect the volume, frequency, or rate of data being transmitted.

Yeah I was thinking this.  Win 8 is a piece of crap.  I was hopeful with win 10, but it appears to be the Big Brother update.

I never thought I would say this in a million years:  Apple is starting to look pretty good.  And I am nearly a pc fanboi :(

Edit: @theirishman:  Holy crap.  If the public finds out about this, there will be a significant backlash I think.  That is some crazy stuff right there.

So good luck getting a new computer and making it your own in the future. You can't just buy a Windows 10 system and throw Ubuntu on it.

The makers of Windows 10 have got some audacity. The wiretaps and the collecting of passwords is not a mistake. The fact that it throws errors if you try to turn it off, is not a mistake. The fact that it is free, is not a mistake. Luckily everyone I talk to gets what I explain to them. Hopefully businesses don't upgrade, but if they do, I would suggest not doing anything personal, (like entering passwords).

Although they'll have your voice connected to your name probably... I wonder if someone can sue their workplace for upgrading because it's wiretapping them....

This is why a dual boot system maybe the ideal solution to some people. I have ubuntu and win 7, I use win7 for:

1. Playing games.
2. Run some software without a linux equivalent(or with a very limited linux equivalent)

And I use ubuntu for everything else.

Microsoft really blundered with this policy for Win 10.

If you buy a PC with Squares 10 installed you may not be able to dual boot:

This is even worst than I first thought. Thanks for the link.

We are all shot down in this.

Imagine that you have a Linux machine. Imagine that you are well into protecting yourself in ways that no hacker can break through to get to you. Ain't good enough. Here's why.

People are upgrading to Windows 10 by the droves. The sheeple out there don't have a clue that anybody would want to intercept aspects of what they might consider their private info. Those that do either say something like, "I have nothing to hide," or, "That's life." And they upgrade.

So, what do the sheeple have to do with you? If you never do anything personal over the Internet with them, maybe nothing. But if you use email, or do banking, or purchase products with one of these Windows 10 users, kiss any info you shared with any of them good-bye. Microsoft has it.

:)

http://www.techworm.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Samsung-laptop-e1440350956434.jpg

New Windows 7/8/8.1 updates KB3075249 and KB3080149 spy on you just like Windows 10

http://www.techworm.net/2015/08/new-windows-788-1-updates-spy-on-you-just-like-windows-10.html (http://www.techworm.net/2015/08/new-windows-788-1-updates-spy-on-you-just-like-windows-10.html)

Microsoft is pushing KB3075249 and KB3080149 updates for Windows 7/8/8.1 users which can spy on you.

It is now a known fact that Windows 10 user data is being reported back to Microsoft servers back in Redmond. The jury is still out whether this a good or bad practice but many of Windows 10 Apps like Cortana depend on getting your preferences correct to serve you better. This being the case, many Windows users who are not happy with Windows 10 spying ways and have preferred to stay on with Windows 7/Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 as the case might be. For these Windows 7/8/8.1 users there are a few updates which Microsoft has been pushing through last few days. Namely, KB3075249 and KB3080149, if installed are known to report your data back to Microsoft servers.

KB3075249 update adds telemetry points to consent.exe in Windows 8.1 and Windows 7. The Microsoft support pages give the following descriptions for them:

KB3075249 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/3075249) - "Update that adds telemetry points to consent.exe in Windows 8.1 and Windows 7."

KB3080149 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/3080149) - "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."

In simple words, both these updates, if downloaded and installed will snoop on you and report back certain data to the Microsoft servers. Once you have updated your Windows 7/8/8.1 with these updates, your PC is no better than Windows 10 as it will report back your user data.

There is little news about these updates but tech forums are already abuzz about their spying ways. Some users on forums have reported additional updates from Microsoft which are to be avoided :

KB2505438
KB2670838 – Windows 7 Only (breaks AERO functionality and gives you blurry fonts on some websites)
KB2952664
KB2976978 – Windows 8 only
KB3021917
KB3035583
KB3075249

If you are a privacy lover or don't want your data to be sent to unwanted entities, avoid the above updates. All these updates are optional and wont harm your PC if you don't install them. To stop your Windows 7/8/8.1 PC from downloading these updates, go to Windows Update (Control Panel > System and Security), mark the check boxes beside these updates and hide them. Do remember, these updates may reappear after a reboot.

Source: TechWorm (http://www.techworm.net/2015/08/new-windows-788-1-updates-spy-on-you-just-like-windows-10.html)

I have to check my computer, but I will point out, I told 2 others not to upgrade and they both have had problems recently. I also was searching why a program just suddenly stopped working. So that's 3 out of 3 computers that were running fine having problems recently. It may just be coincidence, but I'm going to check out these updates.

I recently hid the windows update and turned it off completely for my father, who had to keep rolling back his computer. So far his is working better after I only did that....

Microsoft is using its monopoly in the operating systems market to do unethical and unfair things. Unfortunately, right now there is no other choice, as the Linux systems are not that user friendly (and the Apple OS is no better than that of the Microsoft). I just hope that The Impact Team or the Anonymous will target Microsoft soon, and put an end to their unfair practices.

It's getting to the point now where I am considering ditching microsoft for good. Games are the only reason I haven't already switched to linux completely. If enough people start doing the same maybe MS will reconsider their big brother shenanigans.

Now, this is uncanny. I checked Windows update just now and deselected (hid) those two updates, then started the update process. Windows 7 BSOD'ed - for the first time in a year!

Yeah, I have 2 computers, 1 with my wallets on Linux and 1 with Windows for my Photoshopping needs. If I could get Photoshop to work on Linux I'd probably have switched over by now. I tried using some of the photo editing programs on Linux but I don't find them easy to use. Maybe I'll start training myself on the other program so I can give Windows the boot.


I had one of the updates on this computer, but not the 2 main ones. My problem really may have been unrelated, but I do find processes I don't want running, running from time to time. I turned off the Windows Search in services, and then my program worked again. I disabled other services too, so I don't know for sure that it mattered.

For all we know that firmware spyware is already on the computer.

There's no way of knowing if the NSA's spyware is on your hard drive (http://www.computerworld.com/article/2885069/theres-no-way-of-knowing-if-the-nsas-spyware-is-on-your-hard-drive.html)

Your hard drives were RIDDLED with NSA SPYWARE for YEARS (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/02/17/kaspersky_labs_equation_group/)

http://www.noobsforever.net/et/images/windows10_squares10_spyware_keylogger_3.jpg

How To Uninstall Microsoft's Spying Updates From Windows 7/8

https://www.hackread.com/microsoft-updates-spy-on-windows7-8-users/ (https://www.hackread.com/microsoft-updates-spy-on-windows7-8-users/)

Back at the beginning of this month, we reported about how Microsoft has planned to spy on its users by releasing their latest operating system Windows 10. Many didn't know that this latest version of Windows has a capability to silently capture and send user data to Microsoft servers, without user's consent. (...) But it seems like Microsoft's goal to snoop on its users is so strong that they have now released several updates for their older versions of Windows that provide them with a capability to spy on Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 users too. The two recent Windows updates having the identification numbers KB3075249 and KB3080149 grant a capability to Windows to capture and send your data to the company's servers. So, once both of these updates are installed on your computer, then Microsoft may possibly spy on you in a similar way Windows 10 does, and all your data will be sent to Microsoft servers.

That is not all. Privacy-conscious users of Windows have pointed out that there are numerous other updates released by Microsoft that either grant the company access to your data or forcefully updates your existing version of Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 to the latest operating system release, Windows 10:

http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/367377-how-remove-windows-10-upgrade-updates-windows-7-8-a-30.html#post3127044 (http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/367377-how-remove-windows-10-upgrade-updates-windows-7-8-a-30.html#post3127044)

If you want to stick to Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 and want to remain untracked then we recommend that you stay away from the following updates:

KB2506928
KB2545698 (IE9)
KB2592687
KB2660075
KB2726535
KB2876229 SKYPE, If you want Skype then install it.
KB2923545 RDP
KB2952664 x2
KB2970228
KB2990214
KB2994023
KB3021917
KB3022345 Caused false sfc result
KB3022345 Replaced by KB3068708 Telemetry
KB3035583
KB3050265
KB3065987
KB3068708 Telemetry

If you are still using Windows 7 or Windows 8 and want to keep your data away from the access of Microsoft then we will highly recommend you to stay away from the above-mentioned updates. But you must be curious to find out if the above updates are installed on your computer. Don't worry, head over to the next section where we have a step by step guide to finding out whether these updates were installed on your computer, and if they are then how to uninstall them.

(. . .)

Read the rest of the article on the original site for the update removal procedure. Note that the the article's author chose to use the Command Prompt instead of the normal uninstall method because some of these updates simply will not show on the list of installed updates.

IMPORTANT: after you uninstall these updates, the next time you check for updates they will show up again. To avoid reinstalling them by mistake, right click on each of them and select "hide update".

Sources:

HackRead (https://www.hackread.com/microsoft-updates-spy-on-windows7-8-users/)
SevenForums (http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/367377-how-remove-windows-10-upgrade-updates-windows-7-8-a-30.html#post3127044)

Thanks, I had a couple of those installed. Sheesh. Microsoft really doesn't care about their image anymore do they?

After reading some articles and information about features of Windows 10 and reports about how crooked is security of that system. I can think one thing - what microsoft did is abuse of power.
This system is tailored to be spyware and moneymaking bullsoft. In this system even Solitaire has an ads and you can PAY to unlock version without ads, you need to pay monthly fee for it.
As long as it will be possible I won't buy Windows 10.

The time is coming when any of us who value a little privacy are going to need at least two computers.

One of them will need to be a box that we never connect to the Internet. This is the place that we will do all of our calculations and keep our personal files. If we design our website, it will be designed here. This will probably be a Windows machine.

The second computer should be a fast computer, perhaps loaded with a Linux OS. There are some good ones out there, that you can download for free, or order the DVD for less than $20 (better). You can pick up or make (have made) a powerful no-OS box for less than $200. Fryes Electronics often has one ready to go, or they will build it for you. You almost never keep anything private on this machine.

You might want to use VeraCrypt on your private machine. Also, you might want a Faraday cage for both your computers to scramble any inadvertent signals that might escape the computers themselves. Techniques are advancing for reading your computers, direct, without any WiFi or other wireless signal being sent, in a van that the NSA parks across the street.

Transfers from your private computer to your Internet computer, so you can send info over the Internet, will need to be done with USB Flash Drive or CD, as you talk to others over the Internet. No files should ever be downloaded directly onto the Internet computer. You should talk all of your good buddy's into using encryption, and then send only encrypted messages, directly off the CD or Flash Drive.

Make MS and the NSA work for their money. You might get red-flagged. But if enough of us get red-flagged, their budget will be drained faster. We might even be able to get free of them so that we don't need all this garbage privacy stuff in the future.

:)

As long as there are no good alternatives to Microsoft, they will continue with their arrogant and boorish attitude. They know that Linux is not that user friendly, and is meant for just the top 1% users, who are very tech savvy. I just hope that either the Russians or the Chinese will soon develop an alternative to the Windows OS.

I only hope it drives more development into Linux so it can become a viable alternative for the less tech savvy.

 As an aside, you should not pirate games.

 Only media, such as novels, nonfiction books, movies, tv series, art, and music have a legitimate need to be consumed at a rate greater than the average poor/unemployed/third-world person may be able to afford to purchase them 'properly'. Therefore, one can excuse torrenting the above^

 However, you do not need to play hundreds or even dozens of new games per year. Only a small handful, is sufficient. This is because in this day & age of continuously internet-updated games, a gamer ideally wants to seek out the best games and/or those most befitting for his gameplay style preferences, and then stick to it, master it in depth - a lot better value than just grabbing every newly hyped piece of mainstream popculture'd garbage heaped onto the store shelves every month & ending up steaming through it only to discard/uninstall/resell after a paltry amount of hours of gameplay.

Well if any of you guys decide to try something new, I would highly recommend that you take a look at Elementary OS. It's now been a week since I installed eOS (I posted about it here https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1160379.msg12225366#msg12225366 ) and I already know I will not be changing to anything else. When it comes to gaming, well, I'm not a hardcore PC gamer so Steam is enough for me  :)

If this is true must be avoid every version of windows. Are the same authors who made all the versions and are the same business which made those. So if there is something in windows 10 would be without doubt in every previous version.

LOL.  Pic is wrong.  Im high all the time and always win.

It seems that every new release has its own "trojans". Even the new updates for Windows7 are said to contain software that steals personal user data... I guess the solution will be "upgrading" to Linux :P

I was thinking this as well.  I like the user friendly approach of windows but makes me wonder if it is really worth it.   May head to redhat or something.   So many options really.  Guess it depends on what you want to do and what packages you need.

Microsoft no longer lets you opt-out of a Windows 10 upgrade (http://www.technobuffalo.com/2015/10/15/microsoft-no-longer-lets-you-opt-out-of-a-windows-10-upgrade/)

Windows users report Windows 10 upgrades are enforced on their systems (http://www.ghacks.net/2015/10/15/windows-users-report-windows-10-upgrades-are-enforced-on-their-systems/)

Windows 10 upgrade installing automatically on some Windows 7, 8 systems (http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/10/windows-10-upgrade-installing-automatically-on-some-windows-7-8-systems/)

Windows 10 upgrades reportedly appearing as mandatory for some users (http://www.pcworld.com/article/2993381/windows/windows-10-upgrades-reportedly-appearing-as-mandatory-for-some-users.html)

Microsoft's best days are behind. I feel that linux is the opposite.

that's exactly how i feel. if it wasnt for some software that was completely unavailable on a linux platform that i needed to use, i wouldve made the full switch a long time ago. freedom and privacy are now openly fought against by the government and their corporations, and its worse that people arent doing much about it.

Linux all the way, Windows 10 is a joke.. Had a friend over with his nice new windows 10 laptop. Hooked it up to my linux machine to run some tests.
Let's just say if you "value" your privacy (or what's left of it) then stay the fcuk away from windows 10...

Far too many strange outbound connections for my liking. Best do this test when its "fresh" out the box and updating. some really strange host's and some even stranger resolves.  

Like this..
;i="5.04,465,1406606400";
   d="scan'208";a="197060256"
from unknown (HELO fbi-hte-01.fbi.gov) (**.90.16.55])  by
11.FBI.GOV ([***.18.16.40]) by HQCK-UE7HT-102.fbi.

and this..

nsa.gov.bh (***16.4.23)
 (192.168.10.10) with Microsoft SMTP Server (TLS) id 14.0.722.0


anyone care to do some digging will see these are "dodgy" IP's.....

Windows 10 is not a product, you are.

very true!

I've happily upgraded my machine to Windows 10 but this invasion of privacy is really annoying.
You need to focus on clearing faults on your software, do not look our data.

it doesnt work that way in america. people buy into faulty goods and services, and give up their entire lives in the process. as long as the majority of people arent complaining about it, microsoft, as well as any other corporation, wont do much to listen to people's complaints, no matter how valid. backdoors will be fixed with enough complaints, only to have new ones patched in.

Microsoft is doing everything to remain relevant after mega disasters year after year. I think its too late now for them to catch up with Apple or Android

Microsoft have been keeping tags on usage data and programs installed in your computer since Vista. Steam (PC games distributor/ desktop client) does it as well. Almost every major OS does this in someway or the other.

The fact is they will not be able to stop piracy this way. The only way to stop piracy is to remove human greed from all of humanity. Which is ... impossible. Even with a 1000 years of genetic manipulation.