Reminder: How to get a grip on your files, data that Windows 10 phones home to Microsoft If you don't know how to control the information Windows 10 sends back about you to Microsoft, the Redmond giant has updated its guide on how to do so. Snappily titled "Configure telemetry and other settings in your organization", the page was tweaked on Tuesday, and some corners of the web are rather excited by this …
@Gotno
If you are running software that is designed and advertised to perform a function that you don't want it to, if when your countermeasures fail you have noone but yourself to blame. Microsoft's technology is adaptive to your defenses and you -will- be assimilated.
No argument at that from me, I'm trying to avoid relying on one thing.
Where possible telemetry updates aren't installed (1st line of defence), SBAB confirms their absence but sits ready to block of the tasks should they appear (2nd line). I accept it relies on me correctly identifying and blocking said updates which is a monthly PITA. SBAB edits the hosts file so there is kinda a 3rd line of defence. Since the executables don't exist I can't block them at the firewall but that would be just another line of defence on the machine anyway, as you say Microsoft adapts. One day soon I shall get around to reading the manual for my router and blocking the telemetry hosts there too, a much more acceptable independent line of defence. Still relies on a correct list of telemetry hosts though.
Longer term I'm going Mint* at which point an even bigger learning curve begins. It's the monthly update filtering that has tipped me over that particular edge. Deadline is a year from now when my Action Pack subscription expires.
*Not just yet though.
There's a (slight?) parallel that can be drawn between telemetry reporting crashes and yellow card reporting of adverse effects in pharma.
Underreporting means important issues go unnoticed and more are affected (suffer) before the issue is resolved.
That said, in medicine there are clear society needs to identify and prevent harm to the vulnerable. And that the system is not obvious unless you read all of the medicine leaflet and might be overlooked is less of an issue.
While Microsoft's approach may be important to help its users, and other software might benefit from same approach, that the information has not been clearly set out from the start so that users can make their own informed choice, is detrimental.
While Microsoft's approach may be important to help its users, and other software might benefit from same approach, that the information has not been clearly set out from the start so that users can make their own informed choice, is detrimental.
could so easily be re-written as below for Care.Data
While the NHS's approach may be important to help its users, and other healthcare might benefit from the same approach, that the information has not been clearly set out from the start so that users can make their own informed choice, is detrimental.
Opting OUT of Both.!
If Microsoft was sincere and honest they would give users a clear and full explanation of what data they wanted to collect and allow users to decide how much they wished to share including NOTHING THANKS.
They they would actually do as the user requests.
if they were honest, they would say: We know that people want free lunch, however, as a profit-making business, we do not offer free lunches. What we offer is a lunch in exchange for showing us your privates.
...
on second thoughts, this would NOT work, because on top of a being a profi-making business, they are a business that strives to make the most possible profit, ideally by hook, less ideally, by crook, if they can get away with it. And by lebelling it we'll-give-you-ours-if-you-show-us-yours is less profitable than by labelling it FREE!!!! FOR LIFE!!! COME ALL YA FAITHFUL!!!!*
So, really, it's not their fault that people are such suckers, they only nurture human nature....
* what, it's a little star-like thingy, what did you expect?!
"..they can request extra data from your machine, which Windows 10 will hand over under remote control if management approves."
Presumably if management does not approve Windows 10 will be smart enough to know this and refuse to hand over any data whether the person doing the requesting is a Microsoft engineer, Bob or Alice?
Of course the methods and security around the methods MS Engineers use to remote YOUR Windows 10 install will never be reversed, hacked or leaked. Or indeed sold to support a habit, gambling debt, lavish lifestyle or simple greed.
Sometimes I wish I wasn't quite so cynical but that's very rare these days.
I can confirm Full is the recommended default on Home, as I've just had a shufti at the settings. Which live with Windows Update and Defender - I'm sure that menu wasn't there when I first installed Windows 10, but I could be wrong. I upgraded pretty early, as the PC was on Windows 8. Being a small company we tend to only buy about one PC/laptop a year, so get whatever OS it comes with.
Anyway I'd been through the non-automatic installation, and unticked almost all the telemetery stuff, although I may have left the security/virus reporting stuff on.
MS had interpreted that decision as "Enhanced" in this new (if it is new) menu. And I was given a choice of basic, enhanced or full (recommended).
"we take steps to avoid gathering any information that directly identifies a company or user, such as name, email address, or account ID,"
"Take steps"!? So they can still work it out then?
I *really* don't like this; there's just too much leeway for them to be able to do/get whatever they want.
Linux all the way now I'm afraid...
Fair enough, though there are a couple of things to take into account here.
The first is that nobody is forcing you to change to Windows 10 besides Microsoft, and there are measures that you can implement to kill that nonsense off. Microsoft are still supposed to stick to their published extended support for Windows 7 and, if you really want, its current support of Windows 8.1 for some years yet.
The second, chances are that the machine you are working on, if it was built with Windows 7, will be well past its prime by the time Microsoft ends support for it.
So if you really don't want to use W10, Linux is only one of a few ways out of the situation. If you have W7 or W8.1 and it does what you want it to do, then why change now?
For personal machines, if M$ decided to release a stripped down version of their OS just supportign DX<x> so people could run it for games, I might be tempted.
If not, I'll just bite the bullet and only play games that can be played on Linux*
*Don't talk to me about WINE. It's like black magic getting some games to work, and then I can't work out what I did to sort it out :(
"nobody is forcing you to change to Windows 10 besides Microsoft"
They're only the company people whose products are used the most at work and home...
No real biggie there then.
"there are measures that you can implement to kill that nonsense off"
But you shouldn't need to, that's the whole point. Sure *I* can implement these measures, but the average person isn't going to know any better.
"Microsoft are still supposed to stick to their published extended support for Windows 7..."
A lot of people have had this "OS" practically force itself onto their systems. So even if they did try to stay with Windows 7, they would need to know what they were doing (see "average person" comment above) in order to avoid it installing automatically.
"If you have W7 or W8.1 and it does what you want it to do, then why change now?"
Oh I'm not, believe me :)
You say that like its no big deal that they are trying to force/trick people into upgrading 7 & 8 to 10. Microsoft has added opt-out full data collection as part of the bargain, which you can't even fully opt out of. If the US had any decent laws that sort of thing should be illegal. I don't see how it isn't illegal in the EU under their data protection laws, but they move so slowly it will probably get raised as a case in 2019 when it is far too late.
Since Windows 7 goes out of support in 2020 and Windows 8 was never fit for purpose, anyone who has to use Windows will be forced to upgrade in 4 years. I only use my Windows 7 VM for iTunes and to run the software that interfaces with the OBD-II port in my car, so I will probably keep using Windows 7 forever and not worry when Microsoft stops the security patches.
"nobody is forcing you to change to Windows 10 besides Microsoft"
They're only the company people whose products are used the most at work and home...
No real biggie there then.
I'd change just the one part of that statement. They're the only company people think can be used to run their products. As I've mentioned in the past, while software lock-in can be a problem, in some cases the lock-in is only force of habit.
"there are measures that you can implement to kill that nonsense off"
But you shouldn't need to, that's the whole point. Sure *I* can implement these measures, but the average person isn't going to know any better.
No, you shouldn't need to. Don't belittle the "average person" though as they will often be the first to gripe when X has moved or Y doesn't work the way it used to. Then they take measures to correct that, which is where we come in!
"Microsoft are still supposed to stick to their published extended support for Windows 7..."
A lot of people have had this "OS" practically force itself onto their systems. So even if they did try to stay with Windows 7, they would need to know what they were doing (see "average person" comment above) in order to avoid it installing automatically.
Maybe, maybe not. See my note above about your note.
"If you have W7 or W8.1 and it does what you want it to do, then why change now?"
Oh I'm not, believe me :)
Fair enough. Nor am I. :)
"while software lock-in can be a problem, in some cases the lock-in is only force of habit"
Agreed, although again, the average person generally isn't going to be the one that breaks that habit.
"Don't belittle the "average person" though as they will often be the first to gripe when X has moved or Y doesn't work the way it used to."
The average person isn't to blame or belittle for this. MS are.
"Then they take measures to correct that, which is where we come in!"
First, they have to know it's a problem (most won't), then there's the fact that a lot of us don't *want* the extra work!
Microsofts' Facebook-like "arsing-about" with privacy shouldn't be something that we have to deal with!
There's enough to do with hunting down drivers (which the Win10 updates are terrible at finding btw - another gripe), general software/hardware errors/maintenance etc. Adding the joy of ensuring a customer/friend/family members' privacy isn't being violated too is something that just shouldn't need to be done.
They are causing all of this, why can't they fix it?
"Maybe, maybe not. See my note above about your note."
Hah! well if you'll refer to appendix A, you'll find something in sub-section B that will clearly disprove your argument. (Sorry, it's been a very long day.)
"Then they take measures to correct that, which is where we come in!"
First, they have to know it's a problem (most won't), then there's the fact that a lot of us don't *want* the extra work!
Nobody wants extra work. But then I believe that's where we certainly agree in that MS are the root cause of this whole problem.
Microsofts' Facebook-like "arsing-about" with privacy shouldn't be something that we have to deal with!
There's enough to do with hunting down drivers (which the Win10 updates are terrible at finding btw - another gripe), general software/hardware errors/maintenance etc. Adding the joy of ensuring a customer/friend/family members' privacy isn't being violated too is something that just shouldn't need to be done.
They are causing all of this, why can't they fix it?
Because they probably believe that there is more in it for them by sticking to this, especially now the deed is done. That and the age old problem with Microsoft; they don't like to admit they are wrong.
"Maybe, maybe not. See my note above about your note."
Hah! well if you'll refer to appendix A, you'll find something in sub-section B that will clearly disprove your argument. (Sorry, it's been a very long day.)
Heh! We've all been there! :)
Sorry guys, Windows 10 isn't yours. It's being leant to you for free (for now). At what stage did you think you had the right to prevent this 'telemetry' stuff from happening?
This is one of the things that annoys me so much about W10 - if the product had been managed 'better' people would be falling over themselves to use it (it certainly seems to perform well - from what I've read).
C'est la vie...
You could always set up your router to block outbound connections to MS IP's. You'd need to keep it up to date and keep an eye on it, it also might mean your machine goes on a go-slow if it's timing out loads of connections.
But not from the thought of my privacy being violated by Microsoft. What is concerning here is that IT needs to give a serious thought to what their employees are using in terms which version of Windows they are running (remember, telemetry hooks exist in 7 & 8 unless blocked) and which specific variant (Home, Enterprise,...). Especially the variant. Get together with Legal and make sure both of you are thrashing out the possible sharp-edges here.
Not good. Not that Windows 10 will ever be seen on any bare metal that I own. Hannibal the Cannibal grade muzzled Virtual Machines? Yeah.
Appeasing GUI but, lacks the security with it's hybrid coding according to this article.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/3036600/linux/is-linux-mint-a-crude-hack-of-existing-debian-based-distributions.html
Far safer checking with SHA256 than MD5
(Day in a life lyrics spring to mind but not in Blackburn, Lancashire..)
I don't see why people can't just use the original Ubuntu. If you don't like Unity, don't use the main Distro. There is also Kubuntu (KDE), Xubuntu (XFCE), and a bunch of other varieties. They now even have version that has MATE as the default desktop.
I prefer a Mac/Hackintosh myself cause I consider Linux to still be way too unpolished for my desktop uses, but for people who arn't as fussy as me, ?buntu is perfectly good.
Of course they don't dare to collect much data on businesses or schools PCs, because the following lawsuits could become both costly and very bad PR. Consumer customers can be screwed at will. Nodbody at Nadella's premises thought that home PCs are used by children as well, just like the schools ones?
I would have no problem to turn on crash inspection tools when - and only when - needed and send a report to MS - as long as it doesn let me inspect what it sends, and doesn't attempt to send anything outside the crash perimeter. When repeating a crash, I can be careful not to open other applications that could leave in memory sensitive data. And I may ensure other sensitive data are cleared before. If it is always on, and it does send it automatically without my approval, it can send sensitive data - and in some jurisdiction, it can also break the law.
MS is just making clear Windows 10 is a dangerous operating system when it comes to your privacy. And the level of telemetry looks to go far beyond the crash inspection data - it looks a full user profiling to understand what it uses, when and how. Even if no error occurs.
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