Even With Telemetry Disabled, Windows 10 Talks To Dozens of Microsoft Servers

[steven36]

 

Quote

 

One computer user has become so disillusioned with Windows 10's spying features that he has been driven to using Linux Mint as his primary operating system. But Voat user CheesusCrust was curious to find out just how pervasive Microsoft's privacy invasion is. The results of his investigation are quite staggering.

 

Using a router kitted out with DD-WRT, and a copy of Windows 10 Enterprise installed in a virtual machine on his Linux laptop, he started by disabling every single one of the tracking and telemetry features found in the operating system. Eight hours later, 4,000 connection attempts to 93 different IP addresses were logged, with most of these IPs addresses being linked to Microsoft.

 

 

Explaining his setup on Voat, CheesusCrust said that he used a completely virgin installation of Windows 10 which had been used only to verify that the internet connection was working properly. Perl was then used to pull 8 hours of data from log files and push them into a MySQL database. Perl was also used to obtain route data for any connections. Presenting the results, CheesuCrust says:

 

Here is the roughly 8-hour network traffic analysis of 5508 connection attempts of an unused, base install of Windows 10 Enterprise (NOTE: I did not remove any 192.168.1.x home network IP addresses from the analysis).

Broken down, this works out to 3967 connection attempts to 51 different Microsoft IP addresses. You can see full tabulated results on Voat.

With Microsoft facing unprecedented levels of criticism for its lack of transparency over spying components, these findings will serve only to add fuel to the fire. The fact that it was the Enterprise edition of Windows 10 that was used for testing is likely to raise further questions.

http://betanews.com/2016/02/06/windows-10-phones-home-a-lot-even-with-all-reporting-and-telemetry-disabled/

 

 

 

Windows 10 telemetry network traffic analysis, part 1

 

Curious about the various telemetry and personal information  being collected by Windows 10, one user installed Windows 10 Enterprise and disabled all of the telemetry and reporting options. Then he configured his router to log all the connections that happened anyway. Even after opting out wherever possible, his firewall captured Windows making around 4,000 connection attempts to 93 different IP addresses during an 8 hour period, with most of those IPs controlled by Microsoft. Even the enterprise version of Windows 10 is checking in with Redmond when you tell it not to — and it's doing so frequently.

 

Like many of you, I am concerned about the telemetry, spying and other surveillance features, known or unknown, of Windows 10. It has concerned me enough to push me to Linux Mint as my main operating system. Even so, I wanted to better understand Windows 10, but internet search results for a decent windows 10 traffic analysis leave a lot to be desired. As such, I decided to do my own investigating on what, exactly, Windows 10 is doing traffic-wise, and post the results. For this analysis, I wanted to simply analyse the network traffic of Windows 10 on a clean install, and just let it sit and run without using it.

What I have done for this analysis:

1. I have installed DD-WRT on a router connected to the internet and configured remote logging to the Linux Mint laptop in #2.
2. I have installed Linux Mint on a laptop, and setup rsyslog to accept remote logging from the DD-WRT router.
3. I have installed Virtualbox on the Linux Mint laptop, and installed Windows 10 EnterprisePNG on Virtualbox. I have chosen the customized installation option where I disabled three pages of tracking options.
4. I have configured the DD-WRT router to drop and log all connection attempts via iptables through the DD-WRT router by Windows 10 Enterprise.
5. Aside from installing Windows 10 Enterprise, and verifying the internet connection through ipconfig and ping yahoo.com, I have not used the Windows 10 installation at all (the basis for the first part of this analysis)
6. Let Windows 10 Enterprise run overnight for about 8 hours (while I slept).
7. I use perl to parse the data out of syslog files and insert said data into a Mysql database.
8. I use perl to obtain route data from whois.radb.net, as well as nslookup PTR data, and insert that into the Mysql database.
9. Lastly, I query and format the data for analyzing.

Here is the roughly 8-hour network traffic analysis of 5508 connection attempts of an unused, base install of Windows 10 Enterprise (NOTE: I did not remove any 192.168.1.x home network IP addresses from the analysis):

individual connection attempts by IP address,port, and protocol:

select distinct(ip_address),port,protocol,count(ip_address) as attempts from rejected_connections group by ip_address order by attempts desc;

ip_address 	port 	protocol 	attempts
94.245.121.253 	3544 	UDP 	1619
65.55.44.108 	443 	TCP 	764
192.168.1.1 	53 	UDP 	630
192.168.1.255 	137 	UDP 	602
65.52.108.92 	443 	TCP 	271
64.4.54.254 	443 	TCP 	242
65.55.252.43 	443 	TCP 	189
65.52.108.29 	443 	TCP 	158
207.46.101.29 	80 	TCP 	107
207.46.7.252 	80 	TCP 	96
64.4.54.253 	443 	TCP 	83
204.79.197.200 	443 	TCP 	63
23.74.8.99 	80 	TCP 	45
23.74.8.80 	80 	TCP 	45
65.52.108.103 	443 	TCP 	29
134.170.165.251 	443 	TCP 	27
23.67.60.73 	80 	TCP 	21
65.52.108.27 	80 	TCP 	21
157.56.96.58 	443 	TCP 	19
134.170.51.247 	443 	TCP 	18
23.67.60.97 	80 	TCP 	18
134.170.165.253 	443 	TCP 	18
65.55.138.126 	443 	TCP 	18
131.253.40.53 	443 	TCP 	16
134.170.58.118 	443 	TCP 	15
131.253.61.100 	80 	TCP 	14
104.73.92.149 	80 	TCP 	14
157.56.96.123 	443 	TCP 	14
157.56.77.139 	443 	TCP 	13
65.55.138.111 	443 	TCP 	12
40.117.145.132 	443 	TCP 	12
131.253.40.59 	80 	TCP 	12
23.210.63.75 	80 	TCP 	12
65.55.113.13 	80 	TCP 	11
134.170.51.246 	443 	TCP 	9
134.170.58.190 	443 	TCP 	9
191.232.80.58 	443 	TCP 	9
207.46.114.58 	443 	TCP 	9
23.193.225.197 	80 	TCP 	9
134.170.115.62 	443 	TCP 	9
104.73.160.51 	80 	TCP 	9
104.73.160.16 	80 	TCP 	9
23.210.5.16 	80 	TCP 	8
157.56.77.138 	443 	TCP 	8
131.253.61.84 	80 	TCP 	8
23.217.138.11 	80 	TCP 	8
23.193.230.88 	443 	TCP 	7
198.41.214.183 	80 	TCP 	6
13.107.3.128 	443 	TCP 	6
198.41.215.186 	80 	TCP 	6
198.41.214.186 	80 	TCP 	6
198.41.214.184 	80 	TCP 	6
104.73.143.160 	443 	TCP 	6
157.55.240.220 	443 	TCP 	6
198.41.215.185 	80 	TCP 	6
72.21.81.200 	80 	TCP 	6
23.193.251.132 	80 	TCP 	6
23.193.236.70 	443 	TCP 	5
72.21.91.8 	80 	TCP 	5
23.217.138.25 	80 	TCP 	4
131.253.61.96 	443 	TCP 	4
131.253.61.82 	443 	TCP 	3
23.102.17.214 	443 	TCP 	3
23.101.156.198 	443 	TCP 	3
23.74.9.198 	80 	TCP 	3
104.73.153.9 	443 	TCP 	3
23.74.9.217 	80 	TCP 	3
23.9.123.27 	80 	TCP 	3
94.245.121.254 	3544 	UDP 	3
23.101.187.68 	123 	UDP 	3
104.91.188.21 	80 	TCP 	3
131.253.61.66 	443 	TCP 	3
23.217.138.122 	80 	TCP 	3
23.101.115.193 	443 	TCP 	3
198.41.215.182 	80 	TCP 	3
198.41.214.187 	80 	TCP 	3
23.210.48.42 	443 	TCP 	3
104.208.28.54 	443 	TCP 	3
23.217.138.18 	80 	TCP 	2
23.193.238.90 	443 	TCP 	2
23.217.138.90 	80 	TCP 	2
23.217.138.43 	80 	TCP 	1
23.67.60.65 	80 	TCP 	1
65.52.236.160 	443 	TCP 	1
157.56.144.215 	3544 	UDP 	1
23.96.212.225 	443 	TCP 	1
157.56.144.216 	3544 	UDP 	1
65.52.108.252 	443 	TCP 	1
65.52.108.94 	443 	TCP 	1
134.170.179.87 	443 	TCP 	1
104.73.138.217 	443 	TCP 	1
104.91.166.82 	80 	TCP 	1
104.73.160.58 	80 	TCP 	1
137.116.74.190 	80 	TCP 	1
23.217.138.97 	80 	TCP 	1

Extended data for each distinct connection attempt:

 

select distinct(t1.ip_address),nslookup,port,protocol,connection_attempts,route,origin,description from (select distinct(ip_address) as ip_address,port,protocol,count(ip_address) as connection_attempts from rejected_connections group by ip_address order by connection_attempts desc ) as t1 join (select distinct(ip_address) as ip_address,nslookup,route,origin,description from routing_data group by ip_address) as t2 where t1.ip_address=t2.ip_address order by connection_attempts desc;

 

ip_address 	nslookup 	port 	protocol 	connection_attempts 	route 	origin 	description
94.245.121.253 		3544 	UDP 	1619 	94.245.64.0/18 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT
65.55.44.108 		443 	TCP 	764 	65.52.0.0/14 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT
65.52.108.92 	msnbot-65-52-108-92.search.msn.com 	443 	TCP 	271 	65.52.0.0/14 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT
64.4.54.254 		443 	TCP 	242 	64.4.0.0/18 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT-CORP-MSN-AS-BLOCK
65.55.252.43 	msnbot-65-55-252-43.search.msn.com 	443 	TCP 	189 	65.52.0.0/14 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT
65.52.108.29 	msnbot-65-52-108-29.search.msn.com 	443 	TCP 	158 	65.52.0.0/14 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT
207.46.101.29 		80 	TCP 	107 	207.46.0.0/16 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT-CORP-MSN-AS-BLOCK
207.46.7.252 		80 	TCP 	96 	207.46.0.0/16 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT-CORP-MSN-AS-BLOCK
64.4.54.253 		443 	TCP 	83 	64.4.0.0/18 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT-CORP-MSN-AS-BLOCK
204.79.197.200 	a-0001.a-msedge.net 	443 	TCP 	63 	204.79.197.0/24 	AS8151 	Microsoft Corporation
23.74.8.99 	a23-74-8-99.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	80 	TCP 	45 	23.74.8.0/23 	AS20940 	Akamai Technologies
23.74.8.80 	a23-74-8-80.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	80 	TCP 	45 	23.74.8.0/23 	AS20940 	Akamai Technologies
65.52.108.103 		443 	TCP 	29 	65.52.0.0/14 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT
134.170.165.251 		443 	TCP 	27 	134.170.0.0/16 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT-CORP-MSN-AS-BLOCK
23.67.60.73 	a23-67-60-73.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	80 	TCP 	21 	23.67.60.0/24 	AS7922 	Comcast Cable Communications, Inc.
65.52.108.27 	msnbot-65-52-108-27.search.msn.com 	80 	TCP 	21 	65.52.0.0/14 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT
157.56.96.58 		443 	TCP 	19 	157.56.0.0/16 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT
134.170.51.247 		443 	TCP 	18 	134.170.0.0/16 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT-CORP-MSN-AS-BLOCK
23.67.60.97 	a23-67-60-97.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	80 	TCP 	18 	23.67.60.0/24 	AS7922 	Comcast Cable Communications, Inc.
134.170.165.253 		443 	TCP 	18 	134.170.0.0/16 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT-CORP-MSN-AS-BLOCK
65.55.138.126 		443 	TCP 	18 	65.52.0.0/14 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT
131.253.40.53 		443 	TCP 	16 	131.253.32.0/20 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT-CORP-MSN-AS-BLOCK
134.170.58.118 		443 	TCP 	15 	134.170.0.0/16 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT-CORP-MSN-AS-BLOCK
131.253.61.100 		80 	TCP 	14 	131.253.61.0/24 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT-CORP-MSN-AS-BLOCK
104.73.92.149 	a104-73-92-149.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	80 	TCP 	14 	104.64.0.0/10 	AS31377 	Akamai Technologies
157.56.96.123 		443 	TCP 	14 	157.56.0.0/16 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT
157.56.77.139 		443 	TCP 	13 	157.56.0.0/16 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT
65.55.138.111 		443 	TCP 	12 	65.52.0.0/14 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT
40.117.145.132 		443 	TCP 	12 	40.64.0.0/10 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT-CORP-MSN-AS-BLOCK
131.253.40.59 		80 	TCP 	12 	131.253.32.0/20 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT-CORP-MSN-AS-BLOCK
23.210.63.75 	a23-210-63-75.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	80 	TCP 	12 	23.210.48.0/20 	AS16625 	Akamai Technologies
65.55.113.13 		80 	TCP 	11 	65.52.0.0/14 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT
134.170.51.246 		443 	TCP 	9 	134.170.0.0/16 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT-CORP-MSN-AS-BLOCK
134.170.58.190 		443 	TCP 	9 	134.170.0.0/16 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT-CORP-MSN-AS-BLOCK
191.232.80.58 		443 	TCP 	9 	191.232.0.0/13 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT-CORP-MSN-AS-BLOCK
207.46.114.58 		443 	TCP 	9 	207.46.0.0/16 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT-CORP-MSN-AS-BLOCK
23.193.225.197 	a23-193-225-197.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	80 	TCP 	9 	23.193.224.0/20 	AS20940 	Akamai Technologies
134.170.115.62 		443 	TCP 	9 	134.170.0.0/16 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT-CORP-MSN-AS-BLOCK
104.73.160.51 	a104-73-160-51.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	80 	TCP 	9 	104.64.0.0/10 	AS31377 	Akamai Technologies
104.73.160.16 	a104-73-160-16.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	80 	TCP 	9 	104.64.0.0/10 	AS31377 	Akamai Technologies
23.210.5.16 	a23-210-5-16.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	80 	TCP 	8 	23.208.0.0/14 	AS31377 	Akamai Technologies
157.56.77.138 		443 	TCP 	8 	157.56.0.0/16 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT
131.253.61.84 		80 	TCP 	8 	131.253.61.0/24 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT-CORP-MSN-AS-BLOCK
23.217.138.11 	a23-217-138-11.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	80 	TCP 	8 	23.217.138.0/24 	AS7922 	Akamai Technologies
23.193.230.88 	a23-193-230-88.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	443 	TCP 	7 	23.193.224.0/20 	AS20940 	Akamai Technologies
198.41.214.183 		80 	TCP 	6 	198.41.214.0/24 	AS13335 	CloudFlare, Inc.665 3rd Street Suite 200San Francisco, California 94107US
13.107.3.128 		443 	TCP 	6 	13.104.0.0/14 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT-CORP-MSN-AS-BLOCK
198.41.215.186 		80 	TCP 	6 	198.41.215.0/24 	AS13335 	CloudFlare, Inc.665 3rd Street Suite 200San Francisco, California 94107US
198.41.214.186 		80 	TCP 	6 	198.41.214.0/24 	AS13335 	CloudFlare, Inc.665 3rd Street Suite 200San Francisco, California 94107US
198.41.214.184 		80 	TCP 	6 	198.41.214.0/24 	AS13335 	CloudFlare, Inc.665 3rd Street Suite 200San Francisco, California 94107US
104.73.143.160 	a104-73-143-160.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	443 	TCP 	6 	104.64.0.0/10 	AS31377 	Akamai Technologies
157.55.240.220 		443 	TCP 	6 	157.55.0.0/16 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT
198.41.215.185 		80 	TCP 	6 	198.41.215.0/24 	AS13335 	CloudFlare, Inc.665 3rd Street Suite 200San Francisco, California 94107US
72.21.81.200 		80 	TCP 	6 	72.21.81.0/24 	AS15133 	EdgeCast Networks, Inc.
23.193.236.70 	a23-193-236-70.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	443 	TCP 	5 	23.193.224.0/20 	AS20940 	Akamai Technologies
72.21.91.8 		80 	TCP 	5 	72.21.91.0/24 	AS15133 	EdgeCast Networks, Inc.
23.217.138.25 	a23-217-138-25.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	80 	TCP 	4 	23.217.138.0/24 	AS7922 	Akamai Technologies
131.253.61.96 		443 	TCP 	4 	131.253.61.0/24 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT-CORP-MSN-AS-BLOCK
131.253.61.82 		443 	TCP 	3 	131.253.61.0/24 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT-CORP-MSN-AS-BLOCK
23.101.156.198 		443 	TCP 	3 	23.100.0.0/15 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT
104.73.153.9 	a104-73-153-9.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	443 	TCP 	3 	104.64.0.0/10 	AS31377 	Akamai Technologies
23.9.123.27 	a23-9-123-27.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	80 	TCP 	3 	23.9.112.0/20 	AS16625 	Akamai Technologies
94.245.121.254 		3544 	UDP 	3 	94.245.64.0/18 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT
23.101.187.68 		123 	UDP 	3 	23.100.0.0/15 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT
104.91.188.21 	a104-91-188-21.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	80 	TCP 	3 	104.91.176.0/20 	AS20940 	Akamai Technologies
131.253.61.66 		443 	TCP 	3 	131.253.61.0/24 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT-CORP-MSN-AS-BLOCK
23.217.138.122 	a23-217-138-122.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	80 	TCP 	3 	23.217.138.0/24 	AS7922 	Akamai Technologies
23.101.115.193 		443 	TCP 	3 	23.100.0.0/15 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT
198.41.215.182 		80 	TCP 	3 	198.41.215.0/24 	AS13335 	CloudFlare, Inc.665 3rd Street Suite 200San Francisco, California 94107US
198.41.214.187 		80 	TCP 	3 	198.41.214.0/24 	AS13335 	CloudFlare, Inc.665 3rd Street Suite 200San Francisco, California 94107US
23.210.48.42 	a23-210-48-42.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	443 	TCP 	3 	23.210.48.0/20 	AS16625 	Akamai Technologies
104.208.28.54 		443 	TCP 	3 	104.208.0.0/13 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT-CORP-MSN-AS-BLOCK
23.217.138.18 	a23-217-138-18.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	80 	TCP 	2 	23.217.138.0/24 	AS7922 	Akamai Technologies
23.193.238.90 	a23-193-238-90.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	443 	TCP 	2 	23.193.224.0/20 	AS20940 	Akamai Technologies
23.217.138.90 	a23-217-138-90.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	80 	TCP 	2 	23.217.138.0/24 	AS7922 	Akamai Technologies
23.217.138.43 	a23-217-138-43.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	80 	TCP 	1 	23.217.138.0/24 	AS7922 	Akamai Technologies
23.67.60.65 	a23-67-60-65.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	80 	TCP 	1 	23.67.60.0/24 	AS7922 	Comcast Cable Communications, Inc.
65.52.236.160 		443 	TCP 	1 	65.52.0.0/14 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT
157.56.144.215 		3544 	UDP 	1 	157.56.0.0/16 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT
23.96.212.225 		443 	TCP 	1 	23.96.0.0/14 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT
157.56.144.216 		3544 	UDP 	1 	157.56.0.0/16 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT
65.52.108.252 		443 	TCP 	1 	65.52.0.0/14 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT
65.52.108.94 	msnbot-65-52-108-94.search.msn.com 	443 	TCP 	1 	65.52.0.0/14 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT
134.170.179.87 		443 	TCP 	1 	134.170.0.0/16 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT-CORP-MSN-AS-BLOCK
104.73.138.217 	a104-73-138-217.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	443 	TCP 	1 	104.64.0.0/10 	AS31377 	Akamai Technologies
104.91.166.82 	a104-91-166-82.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	80 	TCP 	1 	104.91.166.0/23 	AS20940 	Akamai Technologies
104.73.160.58 	a104-73-160-58.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	80 	TCP 	1 	104.64.0.0/10 	AS31377 	Akamai Technologies
137.116.74.190 		80 	TCP 	1 	137.116.0.0/15 	AS8075 	MICROSOFT-CORP-MSN-AS-BLOCK
23.217.138.97 	a23-217-138-97.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com 	80 	TCP 	1 	23.217.138.0/24 	AS7922 	Akamai Technologies

is for awhile longer (hours? days? weeks?) to get a more complete snapshop of connection attempts before I move on to further analysis of Windows 10.

 

All Credits  To CheesusCrust

The Source

[straycat19]

I believe the only way to stop it would be to block  entire blocks of addresses that microsoft has access to based on what the logs are showing.  I don't have a problem doing that since microsoft has nothing I want so I don't need to access any of their IPs.

[Holmes]

Problem with that is users were trying to block certain ip addresses to prevent nag screens for IDM and one of the ip addresses was the IDM website itself so blocking all microsoft addresses could break legit microsoft traffic that is not a privacy concern.  It mentioned connection attempts does that mean he thwarted the privacy invasion and if so what all did he do when he stopped all the tracking and telemetry features.

[el_espaniol]

W10 is a trojan itself...Just drop out from Your rig...

[Misaki2010]

Of course it's trying to connect to their severs, the apps need to update their content somehow don't they? WTH is wrong with you people!

[steven36]

3 hours ago, el_espaniol said:

W10 is a trojan itself...Just drop out from Your rig...

I agree  with you 100% .. the  best advce i heard all day I can block all this calling out using W10FC I done it before . But  why bother  when you can install a older version of windows and just dont install  get windows 10 updates and telemetry updates.. also  Opt Out  In Microsoft Customer Experience Improvement Program  and not have to waste you're time with it

 

Quote

 

Near the bottom of the window, select Customer Experience Improvement Program Settings.

Open Control Panel / Action Center.

On the left side menu, select Change Action Center Settings.

 

 

By the time updates run out for windows 8.1 January 10, 2023 no telling  what things may be  like by then Windows 10 only been out a little over 6 mths  and it feels like a 1000 years and people act like its mandatory  . Hopefully M$  came to there senses by 2023 and made a better O/S  if not ill just move away from  Windows. .

 

[Karamjit]

Analysis claims Windows 10 keeps connecting to MS servers

Ever since it rolled out Windows 10, Microsoft has been bombarded with claims that its new operating system is spying on users, with more or less detailed research trying to demonstrate this.

A new such analysis brings forward almost the same claims: Windows 10 is phoning home even when all telemetry settings are off, which according to Voat user CheesusCrust (via Betanews), this could be a sign that some information is leaving your computer even when not allowed to.

In short, what the analysis came down to was setting up a Linux Mint PC with a Windows 10 Enterprise virtual machine and a DD-WRT router that was being used for monitoring traffic. CheesusCrust disabled all telemetry settings in Windows 10 (the ones in the Settings screen) and then left the Windows 10 virtual machine running over night to monitor the connections it’s attempting to make.

The results are no surprising: during this whole time, the router logged a total of 5,508 connections, out of which 3,967 were said to be attempts to 51 different Microsoft IP addresses.

 

This still doesn’t mean anything

If you’re looking at these claims and numbers, Microsoft is clearly a monster that keeps an eye on everything you do, but the truth is that this analysis is not so relevant in the end.

First of all, this analysis is not an in-depth look at the information that Windows 10 transmits to Microsoft’s servers, but only a review of the connection attempts that the operating system made during a certain period of time. For what it’s worth, these could be attempts to check for updates or adjust the time.

At the same time, it would be inaccurate to accuse Microsoft of anything just by looking at these logs because nobody can tell for sure (except for the company, of course) that Windows 10 is sending any of your private details to the company. Everything is encrypted, so aside from these connection attempts, not much can be extracted.

Terry Myerson, head of the Windows group at Microsoft, has explained that while Windows 10 does send some information to the company, everything is encrypted and does not include personal details. Windows 10 only collects app crash data and reliability reports that can be then used to further improve the OS and fix issues that users are experiencing with the OS.

“With Windows 10, information we collect is encrypted in transit to our servers, and then stored in secure facilities,” Myerson says.

In the end, while this research indeed shows that Windows 10 has a lot of attempts to connect to Microsoft in just 8 hours, it certainly doesn’t prove anything. At least not as far as the privacy violation is concerned.

 

From: http://news.softpedia.com/news/windows-10-again-accused-of-phoning-home-with-telemetry-settings-off-500047.shtml

[steven36]

52 minutes ago, pamadhilwankalan said:

This still doesn’t mean anything

I guess  all those people who use all those antispy tools  and firewalls on windows 10 is not needed. That those ips that are all up in everyone's ip sniffers dont mean nothing... Its like this the really smart people  dont use  windows 10 at all .The smart  ones that do use it at lest block win 10 from calling home. The really foolish  ones make like the problem dont exist.  If you let Microsoft collect you're data you are not hurting no one but yourself .You're sure not  hurting Win7 users or Win 8.1 users or even Linux or mac users ether .

 

Quote

“With Windows 10, information we collect is encrypted in transit to our servers, and then stored in secure facilities,” Myerson says.

You're  up in court right now  were the USA  wants you to hand over  you're  encrypted data go tell that to someone who dont read the news ..

 

The fact is  you shouldn't  need my data ..are you going  sell it .. What you plain do with it? Are you saving it for CISA  so you can get incentives from the government when they ask for peoples data   ?

 

[Sylence]

Maybe the more smarter move is to let the Microsoft Windows 10 collect as much data as needed and you pretend like you don't care about it but don't let the right information get leaked, i.e don't hand over your data to Microsoft by yourself, telemetry services will collect useless data unless you yourself want to give them your data.

 

what sensitive information might you have on your computer anyway? is it other than a bunch of cracked games, illegal movies and torrent downloads?  

[steven36]

1 minute ago, saeed_dc said:

Maybe the more smarter move is to let the Microsoft Windows 10 collect as much data as needed and you pretend like you don't care about it but don't let the right information get leaked, i.e don't hand over your data to Microsoft by yourself, telemetry services will collect useless data unless you yourself want to give them your data.

 

what sensitive information might you have on your computer anyway? is it other than a bunch of cracked games, illegal movies and torrent downloads?  

I dont use windows 10 that's you're problem if you use it and let them collect it Not mine. Even when I did i kept it heavy  blocked.  I have a ip sniffer going 24/7 no matter  if im on windows 8 or what. 

[Sylence]

1 minute ago, steven36 said:

I dont use windows 10 that's you're problem if you use it and let them collect it Not mine. Even when I did i kept it heavy  blocked.  I have a ip sniffer going 24/7 no matter  if im on windows 8 or what. 

 

I wasn't only targeting you by my comment but well have you asked that question of yourself that what Microsoft could do with the data received from your Win 10 computer? 

 

[steven36]

5 minutes ago, saeed_dc said:

 

I wasn't only targeting you by my comment but well have you asked that question of yourself that what Microsoft could do with the data received from your Win 10 computer? 

 

Well if people didn't care , why do they have all these topics dedicated to preventing it  at this forum and many other sites too?   I treat Microsoft  software  as I do any another  software  if it calls home and it dont  benefit me I block it. 

[Sylence]

2 minutes ago, steven36 said:

Well if people didn't care  why do they all these topics dedicated to preventing at this forum and many other sites too?   I treat Microsoft  Apps as I do any another  app if it calls home and it dont  benefit me I block it. 

 

I meant if you can't answer a single question then i think what you're doing is baseless..

 

It's not the first time people blindly follow a cause or action (no offence), the mass media, all the forums and teach sites, and people panicked. all this might have been emphasized by Microsoft's rivals. 

 

I myself merely went after the so called anti-spy apps because it was using my bandwidth too much than i expected, not for security reasons. we're all handing over our most sensitive passwords to Google servers. so we should trust Google (with its not-so-good past) but not trust our old friend Microsoft?

 

tell me if i'm not being reasonable here..

 

 

[steven36]

3 minutes ago, saeed_dc said:

 

I meant if you can't answer a single question then i think what you're doing is baseless..

 

It's not the first time people blindly follow a cause or action (no offence), the mass media, all the forums and teach sites, and people panicked. all this might have been emphasized by Microsoft's rivals. 

 

I myself merely went after the so called anti-spy apps because it was using my bandwidth too much than i expected, not for security reasons. we're all handing over our most sensitive passwords to Google servers. so we should trust Google (with its not-so-good past) but not trust our old friend Microsoft?

 

tell me if i'm not being reasonable here..

 

 

That's you're problem too i use i dont use Google  services since they changed toss in 2011 . Im a not hipster i dont do things  because others do them I grew out of this.

[Sylence]

1 minute ago, steven36 said:

That's you're problem too i use i dont use Google  services since they changed toss in 2011 . Im a not hipster i dont do things  because others do them I grew out of this.

 

oh you're good then  unfortunately One in a Million 

[steven36]

25 minutes ago, saeed_dc said:

 

oh you're good then  unfortunately One in a Million 

I doubt it  here's like 12 non USA  based emails

https://www.privacytools.io/#messaging

 

if they were no demand for it  they wouldn't have them.

 

I stop using Google 2 years  before Snowden told  I had a early revelation   but every sine he told  a whole lot  more have become worried about there privacy so i fell dont all alone .

 

Quote

According to Edward Snowden, people who care about their privacy should stay away from popular consumer Internet services like Dropbox, Facebook, and Google.

 

[Sylence]

17 minutes ago, steven36 said:

I doubt it  here's like 12 non USA  based emails

https://www.privacytools.io/#messaging

 

if they were no demand for it  they wouldn't have them.

 

my previous comments clearly explain that 

[steven36]

17 minutes ago, saeed_dc said:

 

my previous comments clearly explain that 

You're previous comments pretty much say what do you have on you're computer that we dont want them to see .  My computer  is in my house its my business what I  have on it its none of Microsoft's business what i have on it ...they should respect my privacy . You dont have to do anything wrong to want it . It should be a human right.

[Holmes]

In the one post regarding what cheesuscrust (that name is hilarious) said connection attempts meaning microsoft failed to connect that means success right?  As for disabling everything in settings you have to do additional work like use anti-spy tools to one part that gets me is why include all those privacy on and off switches in setting's if microsoft is going to continue to collect data regardless its a waste of space in setting's.  Make it so users can literally turn off all data collection I think windows ten would gain alot of users if they made this happen.  I dont mind them collecting my data as long as private information is not collected and the information is encrypted has a user like cheesuscrust decrypted this information and looked at the data and seen personal information being sent over and posted about it.  I care alot about my bandwidth to and play games and dont want to be playing a game if microsoft is deciding to collect non personal data at that time they need to make a setting like windows update set a time for when you want to send microsoft non personal data and then at that time they can collect it.

[steven36]

1 hour ago, Holmes said:

n the one post regarding what cheesuscrust (that name is hilarious) said connection attempts meaning microsoft failed to connect that means success right?  As for disabling everything in settings you have to do additional work like use anti-spy tools to one part that gets me is why include all those privacy on and off switches in setting's if microsoft is going to continue to collect data regardless its a waste of space in setting's.  Make it so users can literally turn off all data collection I think windows ten would gain alot of users if they made this happen.

That's people who use windows  10 problem not mine because I use windows 8.1  and it has this feature to opt out of CEIP and error reporting and I use Linux Mint    and Microsoft dont seem to care about what people want ether because they keep doing  it. So the only options people who use windows 10 have is to use antispy tools or/and/or firewalls  .Are just let them collect you're data . Lets get with reality Microsoft is not removing  this.

 

1 hour ago, Holmes said:

  I dont mind them collecting my data as long as private information is not collected and the information is encrypted

Being  encrypted  still dont make you're  data private I dont trust M$  for such things..Microsoft can still read it . they can easily unencrypt it ..they have the keys too it after all , there not collecting data they cant read  and they can sell it  or give it to the government under the new CISA laws. The reason I dont trust them its in there TOSS and you agree to all this when you install it. You  even agree if you use crack games and stuff in win 10 Microsoft could uninstall or nuke them  . Its all in there TOSS  you agree to a whole book of things when you install it.

[PistalPete]

It's unfathomable to me that Holmes and saeed_dc are so willing to give up their privacy. Privacy is a basic human right. Simple as that. End of argument.

[edwardecl]

I wonder if there is any way to spam Microsoft's servers with junk data to make what they collect pointless... maybe they will even block you from doing it which would be a bonus.

[Holmes]

I dont want to give up my privacy you didnt read my post's and your not listening I said non personal information and there is no point to encrypt the information if its non personal well if you dont want some hacker to get information about your computer ip address operating system to use it against you or hack you yes please encrypt it that doesnt  make it impossible for hackers to take the encrypted information when its being sent and collect it decrypt it themselves.  Pete dont put words in my mouth I never said I wanted to give up my privacy read my post's (dont be pigheaded).  As for microsoft not changing there mind they arent right now they may in the future they seem adamant that doesnt mean there going to remain that way.

[steven36]

2 minutes ago, edwardecl said:

I wonder if there is any way to spam Microsoft's servers with junk data to make what they collect pointless... maybe they will even block you from doing it which would be a bonus.

If there is it would be another reason  for me to never use windows 10.again If people can hack there servers like this.

 

4 minutes ago, Holmes said:

I said non personal information and there is no point to encrypt the information if its non personal well if you dont want some hacker to get information about your computer ip address operating system to use it against you or hack you yes please encrypt it that doesnt  make it impossible for hackers to take the encrypted information when its being sent and collect it decrypt it themselves. 

 

That's  the problem  the data is encrypted  so you dont know really what there collecting so you're trusting people you dont know with you're personal info   . If they were not collecting  all this data they would be no need for encryption. CEIP suppose had been a voluntary  program it started in Windows Vista and it was opt out for all O/S up to windows 8.1 . In Windows 10 you can opt  out of some things  that were never in other O/S to began with  . But CEIP and Error reporting is now mandatory . And you need FW and tools to block it.

[vibranium]

The specific edition of Windows 10 affects the scope of the telemetry.