Tests show that Windows 10 spys on users 5508 times in 8 hours

#1 · 09-02-2016 06:51PM #1

An analysis by Voat shows that Windows 10 contacts Microsoft to report data thousands of times per day, from each machine running this o/s. This happens after choosing a custom Windows 10 installation and disabling all three pages of tracking options which are all enabled by default. And it happens with a brand new installation of Win 10 on an idle machine.

Many of these connections are over port 443, ie TLS encrypted connections.

What is the dozy EU’s ‘Privacy Shield’ going to do to stop Microsoft and other software suppliers from systematically stealing our data?

Microsoft is trying to enforce a software update from Windows 7 etc to Windows 10 – initially by harassing users with pop-up windows. Some sources on the internet indicate that Microsoft will force all Win 7, Vista etc users to update to Windows 10, using the Windows update as a backdoor.

In Europe Microsoft is in breach of EU data privacy law for all copies of Windows 10 installed in the EU – because it is illegal for them to transfer data outside of the EU at present, ‘safe harbor’ being dead. There are probably 50 million copies of Windows 10 installed in the EU at the moment. A fine of €1’000 per copy of Win 10 would motivate Microsoft to install a patch on Win 10 so that it does not call home for any installation where the user has completed the three pages of privacy options with “No” on all options.

https://****/v/technology/comments/835741

Most of the IP numbers registered in the testing are registered to Microsoft in Redmond, or other US companies in the US. One of the numbers which carries a lot of data reporting events goes to 94.245.121.253 which is registered to Microsoft Limited in GB. Both ‘states’ are heavily involved in illegal state interception of telecommunications traffic, and are the leading provocateurs of global "terrorism" behaviour.

BigEejit · 11-02-2016 03:29PM

I really wish he would just let it update, disable all the options that say it will dial home (there are loads more than you get presented with when you click that customise link at install time) and run spybot anti-beacon/disablewintracking or similar. Do all that _after_ the updates as they appear to switch stuff back on as well as give more options that are of course defaulted to 'on'
See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1kGMCfb2xw

And then test how much traffic is coming/going.

Also annoyingly, I am seeing more and more reports that a lot of this spying "customer experience improvement program" shtie has been backported to Windows 7.

_Tombstone_ · 12-02-2016 12:53AM

Impetus wrote: »

An analysis by Voat

Tore apart here

http://www.zdnet.com/article/billion-dollar-failures-how-bad-decisions-and-poor-it-killed-target-canada/

BigEejit · 12-02-2016 12:02PM

_Tombstone_ wrote: »

Tore apart here

http://www.zdnet.com/article/billion-dollar-failures-how-bad-decisions-and-poor-it-killed-target-canada/

While it was an interesting read, i think you meant to put in this link:
http://www.zdnet.com/article/when-it-comes-to-windows-10-privacy-dont-trust-amateur-analysts/

They were talking about Windows 10 Enterprise which will not be used in a lot of enterprises for years yet. Like i said, I would love it if someone did the test with a fully updated and best attempts made to stop it sending personal data back to Microsoft of Windows 10 Pro and did not block packets, just logged them.
I suppose some of the dial home stuff may not happen until people use Office to create documents and such like, so some fake docs and stuff need to happen as well.

0lddog · 12-02-2016 12:56PM

I'm wondering where the Lumia 950 win 10 phones stand here.

Every month Ubuntu phone becomes more attractive....

TallGlass · 12-02-2016 01:00PM

Morale of the story, buy two computers. One dead to the world with no internet connection and another on which you be very very careful what you do on.

Other than that, use one computer and beware that it is watching your every move. Personally, I don't really care to much.

Alcoheda · 12-02-2016 01:25PM

Sadly, MicroSoft have been forced into the race to the bottom.

IMHO, the reality is that any commercial operating system designers will sink if they do not offer their software for free(or at least, very close to free).

The insidious nature of privacy erosion is that it's effects are not felt by the consumer immediately.

In many cases, attribution of these negative effects will be impossible.

Who's leaking your data? Your windows PC? Your iPhone? Your android device? Your smart television, toaster, light bulbs...... etc.

Are you even aware of how or if this data is being used against you? (insurance premiums, Failed Job applications, intellectual property rights infringement)

In the end of the day all the consumer can see is the price tag.

You can curse MS all you want but if google are going to play this game, everyone has to.

I'm feeling slightly smug over all this because I've made the (slightly painful) transition to Linux on the desktop.

Graham · 12-02-2016 02:58PM

TallGlass wrote: »

Morale of the story

or

don't believe everything you read.

STB. · 13-02-2016 11:12PM

_Tombstone_ wrote: »

Tore apart here

http://www.zdnet.com/article/billion-dollar-failures-how-bad-decisions-and-poor-it-killed-target-canada/

by someone who writes Microsoft Tut books and seem to very pro MS.

Spybot Anti Beacon (free) enables more control of telemetry enabled. Didn't realise Spybot were Irish.

Tests show that Windows 10 spys on users 5508 times in 8 hours

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