Microsoft’s Get Windows 10 nagware shows signs of sentience

[steven36]

Humanity versus GWX: Are we ready for the battle?

 

 

RoTM Windows 7 and 8 installations are finding new ways to re-enable Microsoft’s intrusive “Get Windows 10” nagware, even when users disable it.

 

An additional background process has been detected that resets the Registry’s AllowOSUpgrade flag twice a day. Prophylactic measures taken by users to disable the nagware – such as these – therefore have limited use. The additional process has only been found by some users, and appears to arrive in a modified version of the KB patch which unleashes GWX.

 

The latest changes are documented nicely by tech scribe Woody Leonhard, here. Larger enterprise users are not eligible for Windows 10 upgrades, so don’t receive the GWX nagware that’s been plaguing Home and Professional Edition users for six months.

 

This can either mean one of two things, neither of which is good.

 

One is that Microsoft is changing the payload of the GWX nagware patch without documenting the changes. If the contents of a KB patch changes, then a new patch should be issued, and the older one retired, particularly if the newer version of the patch spawns new processes.

 

The other possibility is that the aggressive GWX program is mutating, and may be close to achieving sentience. GWX already fulfils many of the characteristics of an aggressive malware. Stylistically, the pop-up appears to be modelled after the nasties found on pirate media and porn sites – a pretty classy touch from Microsoft.

 

Similarities include: GWX won’t take "No" for an answer, and is difficult to disable. It targets old and neglected computer installations (e.g. Windows 7), and the technically naive (home Windows users). More worryingly, GWX now appears to be mutating, changing its techniques in response to preventive measures. It’s cat and mouse out there, and GWX appears to be winning.

 

The next stage of mutation would be for GWX to make the leap across species. The first signs of this would be cash machines reminding you to “Get Windows 10”.

 

Pretty soon almost anything with a CPU and display will be reminding you that you’re eligible for a Windows 10 upgrade. And that could only be the start. What if now-sentient, species-hopping Get Windows 10 pop-up mates with the MacKeeper popup? Or The Economist?

 

Surely the era of self-replicating grey goo feared by computer pioneers including Bill Joy, and HRH The Prince of Wales, is almost upon us? All of this is possible, if you only think hard enough.

 

Source

[mona]

Don't know whether to laugh or cry  ....   

[vibranium]

The first Patch Tuesday of 2016 rolls around. And as we can see KB3035583 neatly fits the classic definition of "polymorphic virus".

[Holmes]

When I read mutates I thought of polymorphic to then again my friend has the latest gwx and I know exactly how to remove it based on what I have read and its not difficult to remove.  I know gwx wont take no for a answer means there is no no thanks option like I said in a different thread there is a x button at the top right hand corner of the screen thats what I use to make the popup disappear.

[steven36]

A get  windows 10 update came out as recommended  update  again on windows 8.1  yesterday  I hid it and installed  all my security updates . I win and Microsoft  loses  for another month !

 

 

[Holmes]

Thats all you got to do and those that have installed it accidentally there are threads on here telling you how to remove it its pretty easy.  I got it on december twenty third and Ill keep downloading and installing it I have not formatted and installed windows seven in a long time this time Im installing and testing sh*t when I format and install windows with windoows seven ultimate Im NOT installing the get windows ten app only with professional.  Im always going to have a windows seven test computer for these purposes and I think I have a windows seven I can use for such purposes.  Im using a one terabyte hard drive and there is only twenty eight gigs free lots of testing going on.

[Bausch]

This is getting very invasive. It is one thing to fight against viruses and the plethora of malware in the tech wild these days. But having to do this for an OS patch too is ridiculous, plain and simple. If any small software house did this practice, hell will break loose on it, but coming from Microsoft makes it even worse, and yet no resolution seems to be coming, at least not from them.

I should not be needing to keep up with info on how to protect myself from my OS, this is insane.

[straycat19]

I said 'screw them' a long time ago and just disabled updates so I don't have to keep chasing the crap down.  Some people think that is wrong but I have seen systems that have been running Windows 7 SP1 since it was released without ever installing an update and the systems were clean, no malware or viruses and had never been hacked.  I have never been convinced that Microsoft's patches do as much good as they do harm especially when there are patches to patch patches that had been patched many times before.  It seems they  are just trading one vulnerability for another.  I chose the one way to stop the insanity permanently.

[Karlston]

It's getting beyond a joke. What will it take for the media to see how unethical and immoral Microsoft's actions are?

 

I hope Microsoft gets the pants sued off them. Lawsuits appear the only thing they understand.

 

Install the popular GWX Control Panel and stick your middle finger up at the Microsoft bullies.

[steven36]

14 hours ago, straycat19 said:

I said 'screw them' a long time ago and just disabled updates so I don't have to keep chasing the crap down.  Some people think that is wrong but I have seen systems that have been running Windows 7 SP1 since it was released without ever installing an update and the systems were clean,

Before you said it was June 2015 when you turned  it off now you say you never installed a update since like 2011..Why did  you're story change all the sudden ?

 

Its not very hard  to turn off updates  and only install  security updates they say security Telemetry and Get Windows 10 updates  don't say  security.  There ether Recommended or a optional  update.

 

[steven36]

No escape: Microsoft injects 'Get Windows 10' nagware into biz PCs

 

Quote

 

Microsoft's relentless campaign to push Windows 10 onto every PC on the planet knows no bounds: now business desktops will be nagged to upgrade.

 

When Redmond started quietly installing Windows 10 on computers via Windows Update, it was aimed at getting home users off Windows 7 and 8. If you were using Windows Pro or Enterprise, or managed your machines using a domain, you weren't supposed to be pestered with dialog boxes offering the free upgrade.

 

Until now.

 

According to Microsoft on Wednesday, the controversial try-hard "Get Windows 10" nagware is now coming to an office near you:

We will begin to roll out the “Get Windows 10” app to additional devices that meet the following criteria, in the US later this month and in additional markets shortly thereafter:

• Running and licensed for Windows 7 Pro or Windows 8.1 Pro
• Configured to receive updates directly from the Windows Update service (i.e. updates are not managed by WSUS or System Center Configuration Manager on those devices)
• Joined to an Active Directory domain

Microsoft claims it's doing this because many small businesses – the sort of organizations that run Windows Pro, use a domain, but leave automatic updates on – want an easy way to install the new operating system. If companies really want this software, you'd think they'd install it themselves – or opt in for it, rather than having to opt out repeatedly.

 

You can try your luck following these instructions to halt the upgrade – until Microsoft changes the rules again. Windows Enterprise edition in large corporations will avoid the automatic, virtually mandatory, upgrade.

 

The telemetry phoned home to Redmond by Windows 10 worries quite a few folks, but won't freak everyone out. However, the pushy assumption by Microsoft that we should unquestioningly swallow Windows 10 will continue to aggravate: it's straight out of its 1990s bullyboy playbook, except rather than screw over its rivals, Microsoft is now turning the screws on its own customers.

 

Somewhere deep inside Redmond, an exec is looking at the stats and repeating to themselves: "200 million people can't be wrong."

 

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/01/14/get_windows_10_business_pcs/

 

[Karlston]

10 hours ago, steven36 said:

Its not very hard  to turn off updates  and only install  security updates they say security Telemetry and Get Windows 10 updates  don't say  security.  There ether Recommended or a optional  update.

 

The problem is that Microsoft are also rolling out updates to fix Windows 10 bugs and add functionality, and because they're bundling these useful updates together with the unwanted or buggy crap into the one cumulative update, you often have no choice other than to take the bad with the good.

 

For me, the Windows 10 update methodology... cumulative updates, lack of detail, lack of control etc is the major game-breaker. Apart from the despicable and unethical way Microsoft are forcing the Windows 10 upgrade on people, that is.

 

The only safe way to deal with Windows 10 updates is to do a full image backup before accepting updates. Have been using Macrium Reflect Free to do that on my Windows 10 tinkering box successfully.

[steven36]

2 hours ago, Karlston said:

 

The problem is that Microsoft are also rolling out updates to fix Windows 10 bugs and add functionality, and because they're bundling these useful updates together with the unwanted or buggy crap into the one cumulative update, you often have no choice other than to take the bad with the good.

 

For me, the Windows 10 update methodology... cumulative updates, lack of detail, lack of control etc is the major game-breaker. Apart from the despicable and unethical way Microsoft are forcing the Windows 10 upgrade on people, that is.

 

The only safe way to deal with Windows 10 updates is to do a full image backup before accepting updates. Have been using Macrium Reflect Free to do that on my Windows 10 tinkering box successfully.

I ran a batch file  when i  bought this pc  that removed  certain  updates  .  Ive never had any problem since except for like they add like one update to  recommended or  to optional updates  once a month I just hide them .  Its technically impossible to install  windows 10 and not take  these install windows 10 updates.

 

If  you could get windows 10 trough security updates  they would  be no need for them to keep reissuing  the same  get windows 10 updates  over and over every month.

 

So doing a full backup is  just being a bit paranoid but still its good to do backups in-case something else were to happened. 

 

 

[Karlston]

16 minutes ago, steven36 said:

So doing a full backup is  just being a bit paranoid but still its good to do backups in-case something else were to happened. 

 

Well, you'd be paranoid too if Microsoft updates were out to get your PC.

 

But seriously, if you want to minimise the chance of a shoddy Windows 10 update making your production system useless, an image backup before applying updates is the way to go. My tinkering W10 install is ATM only 30-40GB and takes 4-5 minutes to back up to a file on an external USB 3.0 HD. Cheap and quick insurance.

[steven36]

40 minutes ago, Karlston said:

 

Well, you'd be paranoid too if Microsoft updates were out to get your PC.

 

But seriously, if you want to minimise the chance of a shoddy Windows 10 update making your production system useless, an image backup before applying updates is the way to go. My tinkering W10 install is ATM only 30-40GB and takes 4-5 minutes to back up to a file on an external USB 3.0 HD. Cheap and quick insurance.

These  are the get windows 10 updates remover in a batch.

 

Quote

 

Simple script to remove the Windows 10 "Nag" Updates and telemetry additions for Windows 7 & 8 users

# This will uninstall the updates and hide them, preventing installation in the future

# Note: MUST BE RUN AS ADMINISTRATOR, setting updates to hidden requires admin permissions

# Updates removed:

# KB3035583 - Update installs Get Windows 10 app in Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 SP1

# https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3035583

# KB2952664 - Compatibility update for upgrading Windows 7

# https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2952664

# KB2976978 - Compatibility update for Windows 8.1 and Windows 8

# https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2976978

# KB3021917 - Update to Windows 7 SP1 for performance improvements

# https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3021917

# KB3044374 - Update that enables you to upgrade from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10

# https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3044374

# KB2990214 - Update that enables you to upgrade from Windows 7 to a later version of Windows

# https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2990214

# KB3022345 - Update for customer experience and diagnostic telemetry

# https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3022345

$KBs = @("KB3035583","KB2952664","KB2976978","KB3021917","KB3044374","KB2990214","KB3022345")

$Updates = (New-Object -com "Microsoft.Update.Session").CreateupdateSearcher().Search("Type='Software'").Updates

foreach ($Update in $Updates) {

$Id = $Update.KBArticleIDs

if ($KBs -NotContains "KB$Id") { Continue }

"Processing Windows Update KB$($Id):"

" Status:"

" Installed: $($Update.IsInstalled)"

" Hidden: $($Update.IsHidden)"

if ($Update.IsInstalled) {

" Uninstalling Update: KB$Id..."

Start-Process wusa -ArgumentList "/uninstall /kb:$Id /quiet /norestart" -Wait

}

if (-Not $Update.IsHidden) {

" Hiding Update: KB$Id"

Try {

$Update.IsHidden = $true

}

Catch {

Write-Warning "Unable to hide update, you must run this script as Administrator."

}

}

}

 

 

 

 

Homepage 

https://gist.github.com/NickCraver/afbc490b2c9f9ea3cce0

 

Here are batches  that remove spy and get windows 10 updates

 

Remove telemetry updates for Windows 7 and 8.1

https://gist.github.com/xvitaly/eafa75ed2cb79b3bd4e9

 

Remove Windows Spyware aka Telemetry Updates

https://gist.github.com/kulbakin/4e1cf9fd40e950886dde

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

 

  I used   Remove telemetry updates for Windows 7 and 8.1 back when i bought my new dell  with windows 8.1 and I  hide any new/reissues  of updates for get win 10 since.  Also  my firewall has a ip sniffer and will block anything  i don't allow