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If you have been refusing Microsoft's offer to upgrade your Windows 7 or 8* operating system to Windows 10 due to the oft-reported data and telemetry slurping it seems inclined to do, then it is time to be on your toes as to which updates you allow to be installed on your earlier version of the operating system.
El Reg reports that Microsoft are busy pushing similar functionality to those older operating systems by way of Windows Update. The updates in question can apparently be rolled back if required.
They are however very determined in their function if allowed to be installed, going so far as to ignore such venerable solutions as additions to the HOSTS file, which has historically been a way to knobble phone-home behaviour:
Now Microsoft is revamping the user-tracking tools in Windows 7 and 8 to harvest more data, via some new patches.
All the updates can be removed post-installation – but all ensure the OS reports data to Microsoft even when asked not to, bypassing the hosts file and (hence) third-party privacy tools. This data can include how long you use apps, and which features you use the most, snapshots of memory to investigate crashes, and so on.
The updates are KB3068708 ("Update for customer experience and diagnostic telemetry" and mandatory) KB3075249 ("Update that adds telemetry points to consent.exe in Windows 8.1 and Windows 7") and KB3080149 (also an "Update for customer experience and diagnostic telemetry", both optional).
(Score: 2) by martyb on Thursday September 03 2015, @12:50PM
Really? Nice! Thanks for that!! I do notice that it produces only the list of KBnnnnn IDs and lacks the additional information that is provided by wmic, but it is still a very useful tool nonetheless. I'll add it to my toolbox. Much obliged!
I'm newly on Win7Pro and have not yet delved into the help pages of all the system commands that are available. Guess I'll need to jump in at some point and take the plunge. Or, in light of these revelations about Microsoft's increasing efforts to track users' every activity, take a different plunge and move to a *BSD or *nix.
Thanks again!
Wit is intellect, dancing.