microsoft sneaking patches into pcs

Yeah I totally get that. I just see so many people raving about Ubuntu and I haven't been able to figure why beyond that. I've always been of the opinion that if you can't figure out Linux, you probably shouldn't be using it. But I'll let that slide in light of the need to ween as many people as possible off MS.

"At the moment," he says, "rivals like Linux can't make products that work properly with Windows, because Microsoft withholds the information that they need for computers to talk to each other."

thats an amazing line of crap. it wont hold up in court so it sucks that thats one of the platforms they are attacking ms on.

what MS doesent want you to know is that only 25% or less of internet servers run windows. this is because of security violations.

what kills me is this: microsoft refuses to give up its source code, yet claims the linux OS violates 130+ pattents and intelectual properties.

@justyc you said the link shows how to stop MS from accessing a windows pc? i couldnt find that and would like the info. if it doesent get posted here i will look it up and post it.

ok i just read another post in this thread on that info but if you want post wahtever info you have. i learned in tech school theres more than one way to skin a cat.

I hear that there is a reverse-engineering of XP on the way. It's still in beta right now, but hopefully soon you won't have to go to linux and you'll still get the MS reins off your neck AND you'll still get to use all the programs you got to use before! Or you can just use Wine for Linux.

I can do anything but game with Linux, and im not running cedega. once i get a gaming computer together i am sure ill be able to take care of that also.

Well, what law did they break? Don't you agree to that in the terms and conditions when you install the software? We'd have to look at that before doing anything, and I don't know off hand.

right, and they dont show you the eula before you buy it. thats too bad because a lot less people would buy it if they knew that they didnt actually control their computer.

to the people using the new wine, is it any good? MS got my wife this past couple weeks apparently. if i can get vent, guild wars, and wc3 to work i will have no need for windows in my life whatsoever.

reply to post by JimmyCarterIsSmarter


Great info JCIS. Though I had stopped the updates, both the 'Automatic Updates' & 'Background Intelligent Transfer Service' were set to 'Automatic/Delayed'. (the auto updates is under 'Windows' at the bottom of the page on my services.msc page

As you may be aware, it's not just Win update that can do hostile things. I fully believe they plan to use Windows Defender to control the user's PC. Think about it, it's the perfect 'Tool' for them do prevent you from doing things and for broadcasting things to them about your PC and your HD.

Star given.

By the way guys, Windows is hardly insecure or unstable. I have been running for two years without a virus scan, firewall, or spyware scanner... I have not had a single blue screen, virus, and yet my computer still owns all other identical computers in 3dmark. You know why?

I do not have BS background tasks running in the background causing insecurities and I do not use BS, insecure browsers like IE. Windows XP, if correctly set up, is actually secure, fast and stable.

As good as Linux looks, I am not going to switch. This came with XP and I have set it up nicely so it is both secure and fast. I would highly encourage users who already have XP to set there XP up right, rather than waste time changing to another O/S that may not be needed.

Originally posted by Beachcoma
reply to post by justyc

 

I've been blocking svchost from accessing microsoft domains these past few days. I was wondering why it would want to connect there. So this is the reason it seems.

To stop Microsoft from updating, Go start--->run---->services.msc

Set 'Automatic Updates' AND 'Background Intellegent Transfer Service' startup type to DISABLED and restart computer. That will stop Windows update from working properly, so make sure to start both of them up if you want an update or have a dependancy.

That should completely stop it from transfering in the background so you won't need to block it.

As you may be aware, it's not just Win update that can do hostile things. I fully believe they plan to use Windows Defender to control the user's PC. Think about it, it's the perfect 'Tool' for them do prevent you from doing things and for broadcasting things to them about your PC and your HD.

Star given.

[edit on 15/9/07 by JimmyCarterIsSmarter]

I know many of you will frown, but no one mentioned the 'dumbed down' unix beauty that is Mac os X. WIth the new intel chips, one can boot into any of the operating systems mentioned, and with certain software packages you can even run windows apps in a near 'native way'

I don't know... seems like the best of both worlds.
Can't wait to get my hands on one of those machines.

DocMoreau

OSX isn't free.

MS isn't free.

Linux is free.

F/O/NBSD is free.

I type this concluding the epic battle of installing debian on this laptop.

Billy and his stealth updating wares can sooget.

don't contact your senator contact your local fbi computer fraud division or your lawyer. its an illegal invasion of your property and privacy

Nah, it's in the EULA:

2.4 Internet Gaming/Update Features. If you choose to utilize the Internet gaming or update features within the Software, it is necessary to use certain computer system, hardware, and software information to implement the features. By using these features, you explicitly authorize Microsoft or its designated agent to access and utilize the necessary information for Internet gaming and/or updating purposes. Microsoft may use this information solely to improve our software or to provide customized services or technologies to you. Microsoft may disclose this information to others, but not in a form that personally identifies you.

That's XP. Vista is even worse:

a. The software will from time to time validate the software, update or require download of the validation feature of the software. Validation verifies that the software has been activated and is properly licensed. Validation also permits you to use certain features of the software or to obtain additional benefits. For more information, see
go.microsoft.com...

The mandatory periodic validation in Vista is the biggest load of crap since the Golgothan.

By the way guys, Windows is hardly insecure or unstable. I have been running for two years without a virus scan, firewall, or spyware scanner... I have not had a single blue screen, virus, and yet my computer still owns all other identical computers in 3dmark. You know why?

i beg to differ. the gentleman who 'hacked' nasa didnt even use any hack tools. they (nasa) simply had a default install of xp on 65 computers.

if you use windows without a 3rd party firewall you can be hacked quite easily and i will leave it at that.

reply to post by apc


OS X may not be 'free' but it does come free with the purchase of a computer.

I guess I missed that the operating system had to be free... I thought this was a thread discussing Vista sneaking in your backdoor....

I only mentioned OS X, because it is a nice way to learn 'NIX while still having a beautiful user experience.

Sorry to bother,
DocMoreau

Sorry I just put Apple on the same level of deception and distrust as MS.

Plus paying for an OS makes me cringe. A user OS should always be free as a platform for competing commercial applications. Having the OS itself be commercial only promotes anti-competitive monopolies such as MS.

The latest stealth update was allegedly an update of the Windows Update Client.

Microsoft appears to think they should be able to bypass your settings when it suits them.

So, when you set your system up with Notify me of updates but don't download or install them, don't be too sure that's what is going to happen.

Originally posted by jprophet420

By the way guys, Windows is hardly insecure or unstable. I have been running for two years without a virus scan, firewall, or spyware scanner... I have not had a single blue screen, virus, and yet my computer still owns all other identical computers in 3dmark. You know why?

i beg to differ. the gentleman who 'hacked' nasa didnt even use any hack tools. they (nasa) simply had a default install of xp on 65 computers.

if you use windows without a 3rd party firewall you can be hacked quite easily and i will leave it at that.

Default XP is hardly the slightest bit secure, I know that. But a streamlined XP? That's a lot diferant from a default XP and, me, and some people who I know, all do not use a firewall or anti-virus. None have gotten a virus, or, been hacked in years....

[edit on 17/9/07 by JimmyCarterIsSmarter]

well the bbc just reported that microsoft have lost their appeal in the european anti-trust case.

microsoft will now have to pay the 497m euros (£343m, $690m) fine, 80% of the legal costs and be forced to change their business ways.

wonder how many more patches they will try and sneak onto the pcs....

story here

Originally posted by sardion2000
I hear that there is a reverse-engineering of XP on the way. It's still in beta right now, but hopefully soon you won't have to go to linux and you'll still get the MS reins off your neck AND you'll still get to use all the programs you got to use before! Or you can just use Wine for Linux.

Do you have any links or info about this ?
Id love to give it a try.

Cheers

Originally posted by JimmyCarterIsSmarter

Originally posted by jprophet420

By the way guys, Windows is hardly insecure or unstable. I have been running for two years without a virus scan, firewall, or spyware scanner... I have not had a single blue screen, virus, and yet my computer still owns all other identical computers in 3dmark. You know why?

i beg to differ. the gentleman who 'hacked' nasa didnt even use any hack tools. they (nasa) simply had a default install of xp on 65 computers.

if you use windows without a 3rd party firewall you can be hacked quite easily and i will leave it at that.

Default XP is hardly the slightest bit secure, I know that. But a streamlined XP? That's a lot diferant from a default XP and, me, and some people who I know, all do not use a firewall or anti-virus. None have gotten a virus, or, been hacked in years....

[edit on 17/9/07 by JimmyCarterIsSmarter]

I am in IT and virus/security is my current area of interest. I find your statement EXTREMELY hard to believe. no offence

I have seen clients that I KNOW have had virus's on their machines yet there crappy antivirus software couldn't detect a thing. And I had to spend much time investigating it.

So now...if a purchased legitimate antivirus cant detect something on their system...imagaine not having one?>?

And it is extremely unwise to go onto the internet for even 10mins without a firewall. My pc is port scanned almost everyminute, i read the logs. This is a list of every port your pc uses for networking. Port scans look for open ports...if you have no firewall, well, your pc is wide open mate.
I bet you dont do windows updates either?

I removed a trojan today that was embedded into a jpeg in the temporary internet folder....so just by straying onto the webpage downloaded the trojan...You dont neccesarily have to download it like "the old days"

Also bare in mind that alot malware i.e. - Virus's, trojans AND spyware dont neccesarily want to trash your pc but would rather track your movements and do MANY other things without you knowing.
If you knew you had a virus, well then you would want to try get rid of it...Most trojans nowdays acutally download other trojans and open a backdoor into your pc. Keylogging passwords etc. (hope you dont do online banking)

Im not flaming, just raising awareness. THis virus thing goes DEEP. Most large companies have no clue how insecure they are until everything comes to a stop.

I suggest downloading AVG internet security. You can use a trial version for 30 days. I would be VERY surprised if that turned up nothing.
I saw a "secure" pc today that had over 2500 threats on it...

infact right now. close all your browsers and click Start => Run => then type cmd.
Then type "netstat" in the command prompt. THat will show you all the connections to your pc right now

Cheerz

Originally posted by JimmyCarterIsSmarter
I would highly encourage users who already have XP to set there XP up right, rather than waste time changing to another O/S that may not be needed.

I'll second that. I've been using Windows, trouble free, for a long time now. The tips the poster offers are very good.

Yes, there are very few viruses aimed at Linux in the wild. That should not be taken to mean that your Linux box is immune to being cracked. The really good hackers and crackers are working on Linux boxes themselves.

Be careful what you put in your "path".

I have a question about a recent observation, I'm not an IT person but I use my computers daily for work. Since the 12th of April 2010 I have received 22 updates to windows defender, each getting progressively bigger. Todays (4/22/21010) update was 13.7MB. I thought it odd to have so many updates recently so I looked back through the update history and average about 5 a month until this April. Is this a sign of attack that MS is attempting to stay ahead of as it develops or could this be a potential program that MS is installing onto systems? The system I got the numbers from is running Vista Premium.