Author Topic: w2k sp3 and privacy question  (Read 3022 times)

altosax

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w2k sp3 and privacy question
« on: August 04, 2002, 11:50:54 AM »
Be sure to read the new EULA/privacy statement for Windows 2000 Service Pack 3, it has an interesting portion about how Windows Update and Automatic Update (which gets installed with SP3) can, by agreeing to this license, send the following pieces of info to Microsoft, this was posted on the MS focus list by Javier Sanchez:

"With the latest version of Windows Update (essentially a mandatory download and now part of SP3) you consent to sending the following information to Microsoft:

* Operating-system version number and Product Identification number
* Internet Explorer version number
* Version numbers of other software
* Plug and Play ID numbers of hardware devices

This is stated in the "Windows Update Privacy Statement" which you can read at <http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/about.asp?>  You can also follow the "About Windows Update" link off the WindowsUpdate page. Don't bother trying to right-click, they've made sure to disable that."

altosax.

 
 

Jor

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w2k sp3 and privacy question
« Reply #1 on: August 05, 2002, 12:31:46 PM »
For the record, WinXP SP1 also includes this clause.

I don't see a large problem with this -- at least Micro$oft is making it clear exactly what they are doing when automated updates is enabled -- a service I disabled immediately after install!

With this clause in print, at least we know exactly what M$ is up to -- it is not like the change in the mediaplayer's EULA, which didn't even give us a choice to disable

 
 

pooms

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w2k sp3 and privacy question
« Reply #2 on: August 09, 2002, 01:19:19 AM »
I don't think that sending that information is anything new, Windows
Update has to get something in order to work. I think they've just
changed the way they do it. As I mentioned in another post some
time ago, they are sending this information by POSTing SOAP
messages. If you want to see what is being sent, select
"View Posted data" in the HTTP Message Log window.

I'm also glad they provided a way to disable the automatic update, but
realistically they had no choice. There are too many people like
me who develop, test and integrate complicated systems who have
absolutely zero tolerance for uncontrolled updates to Windows.

I also have no confidence in the drivers that Windows Update
suggests I install. I generally try and keep up to date with
Windows Update, except for things I don't use. But I've had
problems with an IR driver and a mouse driver that I installed
via Windows Update, and I currently see it offering drivers
for hardware that I don't even have in my machine. I no longer
trust Windows Update for driver updates.

 
 

JakBeNymble

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w2k sp3 and privacy question
« Reply #3 on: August 09, 2002, 01:45:00 AM »
Hi "Pooms",

           I disable windows-update and use "big-Fix" to manually get up-dates. I'm like You, I don't like my machine contacting any site period without my permission. You might already use Big-Fix, but just in case here is where You can check it out: http://www.bigfix.com/website/index.html I like the program really well. It can help prevent a crash before it happens.

Take Care and Have a Great Evening,
Best Wishes,
"Jak"

 
 

lnminente

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w2k sp3 and privacy question
« Reply #4 on: August 28, 2002, 12:25:11 AM »
You can be more safer executing that:

regsvr32.exe -u regwizc.dll

Regards.