Windows 10 Windows 10 and Privacy

[Batu69]

This Windows 10 privacy guide is a work in progress. We will add new information and make adjustments once they become available.

When it comes to Windows 10 and privacy, there are lots of things that you need to consider. Probably the best starting point before you even begin to upgrade an existing system or set up Windows 10 on a new one is to read through the Privacy Policy and Service Agreement.

Yes, that is lots of text even if you only read the summaries that Microsoft provides. Please note that the two documents are not exclusive to Windows 10 but apply to Microsoft. You do find "Windows" listed under the privacy statement however.

There you find the following key information:

1. Microsoft creates a unique advertising ID for each user on a device running Windows 10. This can be turned off in the Privacy Settings.
2. What you say or type may be processed by Microsoft, for instance by the operating system's Cortana service or by providing spelling correction.
3. Windows supports a location service that allows apps and services, such as Find My Device, to request your location in the world. This can be turned off in the Privacy settings.
4. Microsoft syncs some Windows settings automatically when you sign in to a Microsoft account. This is done to provide users with a personalized experience across devices. Data that gets synced includes installed apps and their settings, web browser history and favorites, passwords and wireless network names, and addresses of shared printers.
5. Telemetry data is collected by Microsoft. This includes installed software, configuration data and network and connection data. While some of it can be turned off in the Settings, not all can.

Core Windows 10 Privacy Settings

You find Privacy settings that Microsoft makes available under Settings. The page is surprisingly large and while it provides you with lots of options, does not give you full control over what is collected and submitted.

Open the Privacy settings with a tap on the Windows-key and the selection of Settings when Start opens. If Settings is not listed there, type Settings and hit enter.

Switch to Privacy once the Settings window opens. There you find listed all privacy related settings. Suggests are in brackets)

General

[0veR]

Spyware!

[psyko666]

Who gives a shit.. I've got nothing to hide.. ;)

[TheRuan]

Who gives a shit.. I've got nothing to hide.. ;)

Says the psycho... who listens to the devil... kkkkkk

But seriously, if people have concerns about it, they should go back to Windows 95, or even better, DOS.

95 is still a bit hard for Microsoft to implement a good spying, but anything past that they can do anything with your information without u even notice.

[ugurano]

windows its spyware, no secure, but when your using vpn realy privacy

[rudrax]

Who gives a shit.. I've got nothing to hide.. ;)

Your private clips :naughty:

[dcs18]

My question to the Illuminati of nSane, "Which OS in your unbridled wisdom . . . . . . . . is not a spyware?"

[Beamslider]

You either want what it offers or you don't.....If you are concerned about privacy, mitigate what they can get from you.

Turn off telemetry for starts. Don't use cloud apps or drives or at least encrypt it before storing it. If you store your stuff with them of course they can rummage thru it. Use VPN.

They are still watching but not getting as much as they would like.

Face it if you want to use all those glitzy apps, they have to track you to give you what you want

[dcs18]

Those who suspect that I am batting for Windows 10, you'll be surprised to learn that I am neither running it nor planning to employ it in the immediate future — however, after testing the early previews, I found Windows 10 to be superior to both the Operating Systems which I am currently using.

Why am I not switching to Windows 10 — well, that is a different story from what being narrated (blown out of proportions) out here.

[Beamslider]

Running Windows 10 on my getting long in the tooth Dell Precision M4500 laptop and the laptop likes it. I don't see anything so far that I can't work around or configure to the way I like things. Staying with Win 7 on other computers for now but may change them over if I remain happy with 10.

[psyko666]

Who gives a shit.. I've got nothing to hide.. ;)

Your private clips :naughty:

:lol:

[software182]

Spyware!

so, are you using linux or what ?

[spudboy]

For the paranoid, you can block these from phoning home with a firewall:

CompatTelRunner.exe

SearchUI.exe

sihclient.exe

taskhostw.exe

wermgr.exe

wsqmcons.exe

And also disable the following services:

Diagnostics Tracking Service

Geolocation Service

Windows Error Reporting Service

[Ganxxta]

I'm just waiting for something like the good old XPAntiSpy before upgrading. I'm sure people are already looking for ways to change the OS with regedit etc. :D

I even propose a new name for the Tool: XAntiSpy (X=10)

[0veR]

Who gives a shit.. I've got nothing to hide.. ;)

You should be realy serious about this specially if you like pirating stuff. You never know what might happens!

[SnakeMasteR]

Why am I not switching to Windows 10 — well, that is a different story from what being narrated (blown out of proportions) out here.

Spoilers my friend, use them. They are made for short stories long. :P :hehe:

[heyyahblah]

My question to the Illuminati of nSane, "Which OS in your unbridled wisdom . . . . . . . . is not a spyware?"

Dammit, my secret is out ...... fudge :angry:

▲ ► ▼ ◄ ▲ ► ▼ ◄ ▲ ► ▼ ◄ ▲ ► ▼ ◄ ▲ ▼ ◄ ▲ ► ▼ ◄ ▲ ► ▼ ◄▼ ◄ ▲ ► ▼ ◄ ▲ ▼ ◄ ▲ ► ▼ ◄ ▲ ► ▼ ◄ ▲ ► ► ▼ ◄ ▲ ► ▼ ◄▼ ◄ ▲ ► ▼ ◄ ▲ ▼ ◄ ▲ ► ▼ ◄ ▲ ► ▼ ◄ ▲ ► ▼ ◄ ▲ ► ▼ ◄ ▲ ▼ ◄ ▲ ► ▼ ◄ ▲ ► ▼ ◄ ▼ ◄ ▲ Sorry, dropped my bag of illuminati

[Holmes]

Those services were in windows seven to and vista you guys are making it sound like this shit is new wtf hahahaha. Its not and likely if you download torrents and you have seeded and seed all the time your at greater chance of getting traced that way anyway. Back in the day the government went after seeders not downloaders and I dont know if they havent changed that or not but I doubt it. I also think that the telemetry system is in place in final release in windows but it doesnt log keystrokes if your using a windows build in the windows insider program chances are the keylogger is there.

ALso you can take any eula and find the key parts in it easily use eulalyzer from the developers of spyware blaster I use it and its very helpful..

[Batu69]

Downloading Windows 10? Here are a few things you should know about

Windows 10 : Privacy issues that come with it and PDF Manual for understanding the Microsoft’s new Operating System

Window 10 has finally arrived on many users PC/Laptops and they must be busy exploring the Microsoft’s latest offering. There are a lot of things users of Windows 10 should be aware of, and one of them is privacy while other is understanding the features of Windows 10.

We had already warned you that Windows 10 Technical Preview, when it was launched, was a keeping track of everything the beta tester did within the operating system. However as it was a TP, Microsoft had a right to know about the behaviour of its operating system through user feedback before the final product launch.

But now, Microsoft has released the final version of Windows 10 and it has come out with a brand new Privacy Policy and Service Agreement which users should carefully read to know about the implications of privacy if they use Windows 10.

The Privacy Policy will go into effect from 1st August and here are a few controversial points which you should know about.

First of all by downloading and installing Windows 10, you give Microsoft very broad power to collect things you do, say and create while using its software. The data collection is quite ambiguous but one thing is certain, Windows 10 will be reporting back many things that you do, to the Microsoft servers back at Redmond.

Data syncing by default

Microsoft will sync settings and data by default with its servers. This includes your browser history, favorites and the websites you currently have open as well as saved app, website and mobile hotspot passwords and Wi-Fi network names and passwords. This is pretty much like how Google Chrome sync works, however, if you are not comfortable with sharing your usage habits you can deactivate it from settings.

Cortana

As with the Windows 10 Technical Preview, the Microsoft’s personal virtual assistant, Cortana is a online snooping antennae for Microsoft. Which means it shares everything you do when you use it. However you have allow it to do just that because ironically it cant function in all its glory without collecting such data. Microsoft privacy statement is quite indicative of this fact :

To enable Cortana to provide personalized experiences and relevant suggestions, Microsoft collects and uses various types of data, such as your device location, data from your calendar, the apps you use, data from your emails and text messages, who you call, your contacts and how often you interact with them on your deviceCortana also learns about you by collecting data about how you use your device and other Microsoft services, such as your music, alarm settings, whether the lock screen is on, what you view and purchase, your browse and Bing search history, and more.”

Advertising ID :

Windows 10 generates a unique advertising ID for each user on each device. That can be used by developers and ad networks to profile you and serve commercial content. Like data sync, you can turn this off in the Setting menu > Privacy> general > Change privacy option

Disabling all the buttons in the Change privacy options will opt you out from the Microsoft advertising network.

Encryption key are backed up to OneDrive

Another one of those necessary requisites but the one that you should be aware of. When device encryption is turned on, Windows 10 automatically encrypts the drive its installed on and generates a BitLocker recovery key. That’s backed up to your OneDrive account.

You empower Microsoft to disclose your data once you download Windows 10

Read this part carefully. Upon agreeing to the service agreement and privacy policy you basically allow Microsoft to disclose your data to anyone it wishes to. Though realistically that may never happen but this is one controversial aspect of the privacy policy.

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 protect our customers or enforce the terms governing the use of the services.

Windows 10 Manual for understanding the working of the new operating system :

We would also like to present to you a PDF manual prepared by Lenovo on STARTING TO USE WINDOWS 10. The manual gives a elaborative tutorial of basic use of Windows 10 and its features.

Source

[Beamslider]

You can not expect something like Cortana to work as your personal assistant without collecting your data. You can't expect it to be improved if they don't get metrics on it. Cortana is using personal contacts, and all sorts of other data. So are some of the the other apps. You can't expect it to be possible for them to work other wise. This is no different than with Google. Both are mining and selling the data.

You have to decide if it is worth it for you to use the apps or not. That is the price for using them.

You can do a local account, not use the store or any of those apps. Lock down your computer with admin policies, use VPN and store all your data local. You can avoid most of it.

[GRiM]

Just basic click fodder. Majority of this can be disabled if you prefer and others are just the way in which the program works like Cortana. This silly panic reminds me of the n00bs who panic when they see the permissions some apps have which are basic functionality needed to perform task like a camera app having access to media files.

If you dont want M$ to backup your data disable it, simple.

[Sylence]

You forgot to mention the "Diagnostic and usage data" option in Privacy ==> Feedback and Diagnostics. It only has 3 options, Basic, Enhanced and Full. there is no "nothing" option in there. any suggestion how to disable that?

[unyk]

Just click bait .. nothing more

[Misaki2010]

This is just a try from TechWorm to slow down people who want to upgrade... Windows 10 is great, I've been using it since October last year. Also, I'm sure that all the data Microsoft collects is anonymous and it's definitely our choice if we want to share it or not... Beamslider said it better than anyone could.

[steven36]

Its pretty simple you just go down the whole privacy panel and turn everything off , Go to Cortana switch it off and block Windows Problem Reporting and Microsoft Compatibility Telemetry with you're Firewall .. You can block what ever you want that Microsoft calls out as long as it dont block windows updates. :rolleyes: