The more I start to read about what Tech guys and people with the skills and tools who know how to watch for these things and what they're discovering about Windows-10 is actually alarming and scares the crap out of me, just because of the potential for abuse and exploitation.
Now I'm going to start with the assumption that a good handful of you guys have either heard or read about Windows-10 integrated Data Collection and Telemetry.
Since the beginning public release of the test versions of Windows-10, Microsoft has been using a Data mining system with Telemetry that uploads statistical information and Data about usage of every single aspect of a users interaction with the Windows-10 OS.
WIn-10 records encrypted log files of your programs you're running and for how long, audio samples of the Voice activated assistant Cortana, screen captures of any Web-cam you're using, as well as KEYLOGGING anything you type on your keyboard. (big brother?)
This information is collected clientside, then uploaded to up to 120 different IP addresses either owned or operated by Microsoft.
And to windows-7 & windows-8 users, watch out, because Microsoft has incorporated the same data collection/Telemetry system into recent Windows Updates, these are a little easier to work around, but since Windows-10 is Automated windows Update which is Forced, and gives users no option to manually select which updates get installed, its a little trickier.
This is their Telemetry system in a nutshell. And Home/Professional Users CAN NOT disable a majority of these settings to collect data, Microsoft is only going to allow their Enterprise edition which is expensive as hell to disable it fully, and they've yet to put a release date as to when it will be distributed, and have no plans to disable it or allow it to be disabled on Home/Professional installs of Windows-10.
This means at any given time, windows-10 is eating up some of your bandwidth to relay this information back to microsoft servers.
Now for the Tinfoil hat stuff.
Supposedly Win-10 has the capability to disable or uninstall 3d party programs and apps which are decided to either be pirated software AUTOMATICALLY and WITHOUT YOUR CONSENT, or programs and files that get black listed that could be legitimate but are not registered with Microsoft to be able to be ran on Win-10.
I've read that Bit-Torrent sites are banning users using Windows-10 out of fear that the data collection will start allowing Cyber branches of the NSA and FBI to start cracking down on Computer Piracy and other illegal data going over the web.
Now we all know that Microsoft has been going crazy trying to stop people from stealing their OS and running it illegally without paying for it, that isn't news.
But then I start seeing more detailed explanations such as this, and it leaves me scratching my head, and I have to wonder, how are they getting away with this if it is in fact this Invasive and stripping us of our rights to privacy.. let alone the security factors of having ANYONE know where everything is on your Personal computer, especially all our pron
This is kinda what got me scared to start with, try to be gentle, but please listen to it, because it raises some pretty scary and legitimate issues, with the potential to really change how we use our computers should this all be true, and actually moves forward instead of being fought against.
I want to know what you guys think, because this is pretty insane..
Also listen at 7:50 about some really strange connection to Edward Snowden and what he uncovered when he stole all those FBI database files, if its legitimate of course.
Edited by Mister D, 04 May 2016 - 02:08 AM.