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<title>Microsoft's Software Is Malware
- GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title>
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<h2>Microsoft's Software is Malware</h2>

<p><a href="/proprietary/proprietary.html">Other examples of proprietary
malware</a></p>

<div class="highlight-para">
<p>
<em>Malware</em> means class="infobox">
<hr class="full-width" />
<p>Nonfree (proprietary) software designed is very often malware (designed to function in ways that
mistreat or harm the user.  (This does not include accidental errors.)
This page explains how Microsoft software is malware.
</p>

<p>
Malware and nonfree software are two different issues.  The difference
between <a href="/philosophy/free-sw.html">free software</a> and
nonfree user). Nonfree software is controlled by its developers,
which puts them in
<a href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html">
whether the users have control of the program or vice versa</a>.  It's
not directly a question position of what power over the program <em>does</em> when it
runs.  However, in practice nonfree software users; <a
href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html">that is often malware,
because the developer's awareness
basic injustice</a>. The developers and manufacturers often exercise
that power to the detriment of the users would be powerless they ought to fix
any serve.</p>

<p>This typically takes the form of malicious functionalities tempts functionalities.</p>
<hr class="full-width" />
</div>

<div class="article">
<div class="important">
<p>If you know of an example that ought to be in this page but isn't
here, please write
to <a href="mailto:webmasters@gnu.org"><webmasters@gnu.org></a>
to inform us. Please include the developer URL of a trustworthy reference or two
to impose some.
</p> serve as specific substantiation.</p>
</div>

<div class="toc">
<div class="malfunctions"> id="TOC" class="toc-inline">
<h3>Types of Microsoft malware</h3>
<ul>
<li><strong>Type of malware</strong></li>
  <li><a href="#back-doors">Back doors</a></li>
<!--<li><a href="#censorship">Censorship</a></li>-->
  <li><a href="#drm">DRM</a></li>
  <li><a href="#insecurity">Insecurity</a></li>
  <li><a href="#interference">Interference</a></li>
  <li><a href="#jails">Jails</a></li>
  <li><a href="#sabotage">Sabotage</a></li>
  <li><a href="#interference">Interference</a></li> href="#subscriptions">Subscriptions</a></li>
  <li><a href="#surveillance">Surveillance</a></li>
  <li><a href="#drm">Digital restrictions
    management</a> or “DRM” means functionalities designed
    to restrict what users can do with the data in their computers.</li>
<li><a href="#jails">Jails</a>—systems
    that impose censorship on application programs.</li> href="#tethers">Tethers</a></li>
  <li><a href="#tyrants">Tyrants</a>—systems
    that reject any operating system not “authorized” by the
    manufacturer.</li> href="#tyrants">Tyrants</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>

<h3 id="back-doors">Microsoft Back id="back-doors">Back Doors</h3>
<ul>
  <li><p><a href="https://theintercept.com/2015/12/28/recently-bought-a-windows-computer-microsoft-probably-has-your-encryption-key/">
  Microsoft has already backdoored its disk encryption</a>.</p></li>

  <li><p>Microsoft

<ul class="blurbs">
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201608171">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-08</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p id="windows-update">Microsoft
    Windows has a universal back door through which <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=201806263">
    href="https://www.informationweek.com/government/microsoft-updates-windows-without-user-permission-apologizes">
    any change whatsoever can be imposed on the users</a>.</p>

  <p>More information on when <a href="http://slated.org/windows_by_stealth_the_updates_you_dont_want">
  this

    <p>This was used</a>.</p> <a
    href="https://web.archive.org/web/20200219180230/http://slated.org/windows_by_stealth_the_updates_you_dont_want">
    reported in 2007</a> for XP and Vista, and it seems
    that Microsoft used the same method to push the <a
    href="/proprietary/malware-microsoft.html#windows10-forcing">
    Windows 10 downgrade</a> to computers running Windows 7 and 8.</p>

    <p>In Windows 10, the universal back door
    is no longer hidden; all “upgrades” will be <a href="http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/07/windows-10-updates-to-be-automatic-and-mandatory-for-home-users/">forcibly
    href="https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/07/windows-10-updates-to-be-automatic-and-mandatory-for-home-users/">
    forcibly and immediately imposed</a>.</p></li>

  <li><p><a href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/2500036/desktop-apps/microsoft--we-can-remotely-delete-windows-8-apps.html"> imposed</a>.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201512280">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2015-12</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Microsoft has <a
    href="https://theintercept.com/2015/12/28/recently-bought-a-windows-computer-microsoft-probably-has-your-encryption-key/">
    backdoored its disk encryption</a>.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201308230">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2013-08</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>The German government <a
    href="https://www.theregister.com/2013/08/23/nsa_germany_windows_8/">veers
    away from Windows 8 computers with TPM 2.0</a> (<a
    href="https://www.zeit.de/digital/datenschutz/2013-08/trusted-computing-microsoft-windows-8-nsa">original
    article in German</a>), due to potential back
    door capabilities of the TPM 2.0 chip.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201307300">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2013-07</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Here is a suspicion that
    we can't prove, but is worth thinking about: <a
    href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150206003913/http://www.afr.com/p/technology/intel_chips_could_be_nsa_key_to_ymrhS1HS1633gCWKt5tFtI">
    Writable microcode for Intel and AMD microprocessors</a> may be a
    vehicle for the NSA to invade computers, with the help of Microsoft,
    say respected security experts.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201112080.1">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2011-12</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Windows 8 also has a back door for <a
    href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2732767/microsoft--we-can-remotely-delete-windows-8-apps.html">
    remotely deleting apps</a>.</p>

    <p>You might well decide to let a security service that you trust
    remotely <em>deactivate</em> programs that it considers malicious.
    But there is no excuse for <em>deleting</em> the programs, and you
    should have the right to decide who whom (if anyone) to trust in this way.</p></li>

  <li><p>Windows 8's back doors are so gaping
    way.</p>
  </li>
</ul>


<h3 id="drm">DRM</h3>

<p>Digital restrictions management, or “DRM,” refers to
functionalities designed to restrict what users can do with the data
in their computers.</p>

<ul class="blurbs">
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201904040">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2019-04</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Ebooks “bought” from Microsoft's store check that <a
    href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160310201616/http://drleonardcoldwell.com/2013/08/23/leaked-german-government-warns-key-entities-not-to-use-windows-8-linked-to-nsa/">
    their DRM is valid by connecting to the German government store every time their
    “owner” wants to read them. Microsoft is going to close
    this store, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-47810367">
    bricking all DRM'ed ebooks it has decided ever “sold”</a>. (The
    article additionally highlights the pitfalls of DRM.)</p>

    <p>This is another proof that a DRM-encumbered product doesn't belong
    to the person who bought it. Microsoft said it can't will refund customers,
    but this is no excuse for selling them restricted books.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M200708130.1">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2007-08</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2007/08/aacs-tentacles/">DRM
    in Windows</a>, introduced to cater to <a
    href="/proprietary/proprietary-drm.html#bluray">Blu-ray</a> disks. 
    (The article talks about how the same malware would later be trusted</a>.</p></li>

<li><p>Users reported
    introduced in MacOS.  That had not been done at the time, but it was
    done subsequently.)</p>
  </li>
</ul>


<h3 id="insecurity">Insecurity</h3>

<p>These bugs are/were not intentional, so unlike the rest of the file
  they do not count as malware. We mention them to refute the
  supposition that prestigious proprietary software doesn't have grave
  bugs.</p>

<ul class="blurbs">
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202411220">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2024-11</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Windows Recall is a feature of Microsoft's Copilot tool that
    comes preinstalled on AI-specialized computers. <a 
    href="http://www.networkworld.com/article/2993490/windows/windows-10-upgrades-reportedly-appearing-as-mandatory-for-some-users.html#tk.rss_all">
    Microsoft was forcing
    href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/feature/Privacy-and-security-risks-surrounding-Microsoft-Recall">
    Recall records everything users do on their computer</a> and allows
    them to replace Windows 7 search the recordings, but it has numerous security flaws and 8 with all-spying 
    Windows 10</a>.</p>
    poses a risk to privacy. As Recall cannot be completely uninstalled,
    disabling it doesn't eliminate the risk because it can be reactivated
    by malware or misconfiguration.</p>

    <p>Microsoft was in fact says that <a 
    href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/3012278/microsoft-windows/microsoft-sets-stage-for-massive-windows-10-upgrade-strategy.html">
    attacking computers
    href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/privacy-and-control-over-your-recall-experience-d404f672-7647-41e5-886c-a3c59680af15">
    Recall will not take screenshots of digitally restricted
    media</a>. Meanwhile, it stores sensitive user information such as
    passwords and bank account numbers, showing that run whereas Microsoft
    worries somewhat about corporate interests, it couldn't care less
    about user privacy.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202408140">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2024-08</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p><a
    href="https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/zero-click-windows-tcp-ip-rce-impacts-all-systems-with-ipv6-enabled-patch-now/">
    A critical vulnerability in Windows 7 and 8</a>, switching systems
    that support IPv6</a> was discovered in 2024, <a
    href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-38063">
    16 years after the first affected system</a> was released. Unless
    the relevant patch is applied, an attacker can remotely execute
    arbitrary code on these systems. Microsoft considers exploits
    “likely.”</p>

    <p>The same sort of vulnerability in a flag 
    that said whether free/libre operating system
    would probably be discovered sooner, since many more people would be
    able to “upgrade” look at the source code.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202210140">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2022-10</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p><a
    href="https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/microsoft-office-365-email-encryption-could-expose-message-content/">
    The Microsoft Office encryption is weak</a>, and susceptible to
    attack.</p>

    <p>Encryption is a tricky field, and easy to mess up. It is wise
    to insist on encryption software that is (1) free software and (2)
    studied by experts.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202202090">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2022-02</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>A security failure in Microsoft's Windows 10 when users 
    had turned it off.</p>

    <p>Later on, is <a
    href="https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/fake-windows-11-upgrade-installers-infect-you-with-redline-malware/">infecting
    people's computers with RedLine stealer malware</a> using a fake
    Windows 11 upgrade installer.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202107090">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2021-07</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>A newly found Microsoft published Windows vulnerability <a
    href="https://edition.cnn.com/2021/07/08/tech/microsoft-windows-10-printnightmare/">
    can allow crackers to remotely gain access to the operating system</a>
    and install programs, view and delete data, or even create new user
    accounts with full user rights.</p>

    <p>The security research firm accidentally leaked instructions on <a 
    href="http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/01/microsoft-finally-has-a-proper-way-to-opt-out-of-windows-78-to-windows-10-upgrades/">
    how the flaw could be exploited but Windows users should still wait
    for Microsoft to permanently reject fix the downgrade flaw, if they fix it.</p>

    <p><small>Please note that the article
    wrongly refers to crackers as “<a
    href="/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html#Hacker">hackers</a>”.</small></p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202103050">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2021-03</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>At least 30 thousand organizations
    in the United States are newly “<a
    href="/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html#Hacker">cracked</a>” via <a
    href="https://krebsonsecurity.com/2021/03/at-least-30000-u-s-organizations-newly-hacked-via-holes-in-microsofts-email-software/">holes
    in Microsoft's proprietary email software, named Microsoft 365</a>. It
    is unclear whether there are other holes and vulnerabilities in the
    program or not but history and experience tells us it wouldn't be
    the last disaster with proprietary programs.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202102110">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2021-02</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Researchers at the security firm SentinelOne discovered a <a
    href="https://www.wired.com/story/windows-defender-vulnerability-twelve-years/">security
    flaw in proprietary program Microsoft Windows 10</a>.</p>

    <p>This seems Defender that lurked
    undetected for 12 years</a>. If the program was free (as in freedom),
    more people would have had a chance to involve use of notice the problem, therefore,
    it could've been fixed a back door lot sooner.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in Windows 7 malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202004270">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2020-04</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>The proprietary program Microsoft Teams' insecurity <a
    href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2020/04/27/your-whole-companys-microsoft-teams-data-couldve-been-stolen-with-an-evil-gif/">could
    have let a malicious GIF steal user data from Microsoft Teams
    accounts</a>, possibly across an entire company, and 8.</p> taken control
    of “an organization's entire roster of Teams accounts.”</p>
  </li>

</ul>

<h3 id="insecurity">Microsoft Insecurity</h3>

<ul>
    <li><p>A

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201705120">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2017-05</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Exploits of bugs in Windows, which were developed by the NSA
    and then leaked by the Shadowbrokers group, are now being used to <a href="http://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-attack-can-steal-your-username-password-and-other-logins/">flaw
    href="https://theintercept.com/2017/05/12/the-nsas-lost-digital-weapon-is-helping-hijack-computers-around-the-world/">attack
    a great number of Windows computers with ransomware</a>.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201608020">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-08</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>A <a
    href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-attack-can-steal-your-username-password-and-other-logins/">flaw
    in Internet Explorer and Edge</a> allows an attacker to retrieve
    Microsoft account credentials, if the user is tricked into visiting
    a malicious link.</p>
  </li>
<li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201312040">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2013-12</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p><a href="http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/12/credit-card-fraud-comes-of-age-with-first-known-point-of-sale-botnet/">
    href="https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/12/credit-card-fraud-comes-of-age-with-first-known-point-of-sale-botnet/">
    Point-of-sale terminals running Windows were taken over over</a> and
    turned into a botnet for the purpose of collecting customers' credit
    card
numbers</a>.
</p> numbers.</p>
  </li>
</ul>


<h3 id="sabotage">Microsoft Sabotage</h3>

<p>The wrongs id="interference">Interference</h3>

<p>This section gives examples of Microsoft software harassing or annoying
the user, or causing trouble for the user.  These actions are like
sabotage but the word “sabotage” is too strong for them.</p>

<ul class="blurbs">
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202404260">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2024-04</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Microsoft has started to <a
    href="https://www.cnet.com/tech/who-wants-ads-in-their-windows-11-start-menu-heres-how-to-turn-them-off/">
    show ads in the “Recommended” section of the
    Windows 11 Start menu</a>. Previously, this section are only included
    recently used documents and images. Now it also contains the icons
    of apps Microsoft wants to advertise, in the hope that the user will
    click on one of them, and buy the app. So far, the user can disable
    the ads, but this doesn't make them more legitimate.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not precisely malware, since they do edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202403150">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2024-03</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p><a
    href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/15/24101887/microsoft-bing-popups-windows-11-google-chrome">
    Microsoft is using malware tactics to get users to switch to
    their web browser</a>, Microsoft Edge, and their search engine, Microsoft
    Bing. When users launch the Google Chrome browser Microsoft injects
    a pop up advertisement in the corner of the screen advising users to
    switch to Bing. Microsoft also imported users Chrome browsing data
    without their knowledge or consent.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not involve making edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202311101">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2023-11</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Microsoft has been annoying people who wanted to
    close the proprietary program OneDrive on their computers, <a
    href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/8/23952878/microsoft-onedrive-windows-close-app-notification">
    forcing them to give the reason why they were closing it</a>. This
    prompt was removed after public pressure.</p>

    <p>This is a reminder that runs angry users still have the power to make
    developers of proprietary software remove small annoyances. Don't
    count on public outcry to make them remove more profitable malware,
    though. Run away from proprietary software!</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in a way malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202302140">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2023-02</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Microsoft is <a
    href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/feb/14/microsoft-to-phase-out-internet-explorer-with-new-edge-browser">
    remotely disabling Internet Explorer, forcibly redirecting users to
    Microsoft Edge</a>.</p>

    <p>Imposing such change is malicious, and the fact that hurts the user.
But they are redirection
    is from one unjust program (IE) to another unjust program (Edge)
    does not excuse it.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202108180">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2021-08</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Microsoft is making it harder and harder to <a
    href="https://www.theverge.com/22630319/microsoft-windows-11-default-browser-changes">replace
    default apps in its Windows</a> operating system and is pressuring
    users to use its proprietary programs instead. We believe the
    best approach to this would be replacing Windows with a lot free
    (as in freedom) operating system like malware, since they are technical Microsoft
actions GNU. We also maintain a <a
    href="/distros/free-distros.html">list of fully free distributions
    of GNU</a>.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202102180">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2021-02</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Microsoft is <a
    href="https://uk.pcmag.com/operating-systems/131798/microsoft-starts-automatically-removing-flash-from-windows">forcibly
    removing the Flash player from computers running Windows 10</a>, using
    <a href="/proprietary/proprietary-back-doors.html#windows-update">a
    universal backdoor in Windows</a>.</p>

    <p>The fact that harm Flash has been <a
    href="/proprietary/proprietary-back-doors.html#M202012020">disabled
    by Adobe</a> is no excuse for this abuse of power. The nature of
    proprietary software, such as Microsoft Windows, gives the developers
    power to impose their decisions on users. Free software on the other
    hand empowers users to make their own decisions.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202010180">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2020-10</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Microsoft is <a
    href="https://www.slashgear.com/windows-10-users-are-grumpy-over-forced-updates-and-unwanted-apps-18643135/">forcing
    Windows users</a> to <a
    href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/manage-updates-in-windows-643e9ea7-3cf6-7da6-a25c-95d4f7f099fe">install
    upgrades it pushes</a> using <a
    href="/proprietary/proprietary-back-doors.html#windows-update">its
    universal back doors</a>. These upgrades can do various harms to
    users such as restricting computers from some functions and/or forcing
    users to defenselessly do whatever Microsoft tells them to do.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201809120">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2018-09</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>One version of specific Windows 10 <a
    href="https://www.ghacks.net/2018/09/12/microsoft-intercepting-firefox-chrome-installation-on-windows-10/">
    harangues users if they try to install Firefox (or Chrome)</a>.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201803190">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2018-03</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Microsoft is planning to make Windows <a
    href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/19/windows-10-microsoft-force-people-edge-browser-windows-mail-chrome-firefox">
    impose use of its browser, Edge, in certain circumstances</a>.</p>

    <p>The reason Microsoft software.</p>

<ul>
  <li><p>Once can force things on users is that Windows
    is nonfree.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201703170">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2017-03</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Windows displays <a
    href="https://www.theverge.com/2017/3/17/14956540/microsoft-windows-10-ads-taskbar-file-explorer">
    intrusive ads for Microsoft products and its partners'
    products</a>.</p>

    <p>The article's author starts from the premise that Microsoft has tricked
    a user into accepting installation right to control what Windows does to users, as long as it doesn't
    go “too far”. We disagree.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201612140">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-12</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>The Microsoft Telemetry Compatibility service <a
    href="https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/microsoft-telemetry-compatibility/cefa7c8e-49c9-4965-aef6-2d5f01bb38f2">
    drastically reduces the performances of machines running
    Windows 10</a>, and can't be disabled easily.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201608170">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-08</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p> After <a href="/proprietary/malware-microsoft.html#windows10-forcing">forcing the download of Windows
   10, 10</a>
    on computers that were running Windows 7 and 8, Microsoft <a href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/06/01/windows_10_nagware_no_way_out/">they
   find
    href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/3012278/microsoft-sets-stage-for-massive-windows-10-upgrade-strategy.html">
    repeatedly switched on a flag that urged users to
    “upgrade” to Windows 10</a> when they are denied had turned
    it off, in the option hope that some day they would fail to cancel or even postpone the
   imposed date say no.
    To do this, Microsoft used <a
    href="https://www.theregister.com/2016/03/17/microsoft_windows_10_upgrade_gwx_vs_humanity/">
    malware techniques</a>.</p>

    <p>A detailed <a
    href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/08/windows-10-microsoft-blatantly-disregards-user-choice-and-privacy-deep-dive">
    analysis of installation</a>.
   </p>
   <p>This demonstrates what we've said for years: using proprietary
   software means letting someone have power over you, and you're
   going Microsoft's scheme</a> is available on the Electronic
    Frontier Foundation's website.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201603090">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-03</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Microsoft has made companies'
    Windows machines managed by the company's sysadmins <a
    href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/3042397/admins-beware-domain-attached-pcs-are-sprouting-get-windows-10-ads.html">harangue
    users to get screwed sooner or later.</p></li>

  <li><p>Microsoft complain to the sysadmins about not “upgrading”
    to Windows 10</a>.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201601160">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-01</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Microsoft has <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2016/1/16/10780876/microsoft-windows-support-policy-new-processors-skylake">desupported
    href="https://www.theverge.com/2016/1/16/10780876/microsoft-windows-support-policy-new-processors-skylake">desupported
    all future Intel CPUs for Windows 7 and 8</a>. Those
    machines will be stuck with the nastier Windows 10.  <a href="http://gizmodo.com/only-the-latest-version-of-windows-will-run-on-some-fut-1753545825">
    href="https://gizmodo.com/only-the-latest-version-of-windows-will-run-on-some-fut-1753545825">
    AMD and Qualcomm CPUs, too</a>.
  </p> too</a>.</p>

    <p>Of course, Windows 7 and 8 are unethical too, because they are
    proprietary software.  But this example of Microsoft's wielding its
    power demonstrates the power it holds.
  </p> holds.</p>

    <p>Free software developers also stop maintaining old versions of
    their programs, but this is not unfair to users because the users of
    free software have control over it.  If it is important enough to you,
    you and other users can hire someone to support the old version on
    your future platforms.
  </p></li>

  <li><p>Microsoft
    is platforms.</p>
  </li>
</ul>


<h3 id="sabotage">Sabotage</h3>

<p>The wrongs in this section are not precisely malware, since they do
not involve making the program that runs in a way that hurts the user.
But they are a lot like malware, since they are technical Microsoft
actions that harm the users of specific Microsoft software.</p>

<ul class="blurbs">
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202412250">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2024-12</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Windows Defender <a href="http://gizmodo.com/woman-wins-10-000-from-microsoft-after-unwanted-window-1782666146">
    forcibly pushing Windows
    update
    href="https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/windows-defender-deleted-my-download-without/0b4211cf-80f7-47c7-8ea0-675785a0003c">
    deletes downloaded files that it considers malware</a> as soon as
    they are saved to its version 10</a>, ignoring disk, without requesting permission to do so. Many
    angry users have complained about this unacceptable behavior over the flag on
    last few years, and even suggested fixes, but Microsoft has ignored
    them. It is high time for Windows 7 or 8
    that you could set users to escape Microsoft's tyranny
    by migrating to a free/libre system.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not upgrade.  This reaffirms edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201904041">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2019-04</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Microsoft has been  <a
    href="https://borncity.com/win/2019/01/17/windows-10-update-kb4023057-re-released-1-16-2019/">
    force-installing a “remediation”
    program</a> on computers running certain
    versions of Windows 10. Remediation, in Microsoft's view, means <a
    href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/kb4023057-update-health-tools-windows-update-service-components-fccad0ca-dc10-2e46-9ed1-7e392450fb3a">
    tampering with users' settings and files</a>, notably to
    “repair” any components of the presence updating system that users
    may have intentionally disabled, and thus regain full power over
    them. Microsoft repeatedly pushed faulty versions of this program to
    users' machines, causing numerous problems, some of which <a
    href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240223182933/https://www.windowsmode.com/microsoft-suspends-windows-10-october-2018-update-rollout-due-to-critical-bugs/">
    critical</a>.</p>

    <p>This exemplifies the arrogant and manipulative attitude
    that proprietary software developers have learned to adopt
    toward the people they are supposedly serving. Migrate to a <a href="/proprietary/proprietary-back-doors.html">universal
    back door
    href="/distros/free-distros.html">free operating system</a> if you
    can!</p>

    <p>If your employer makes you run Windows, tell the financial
    department how this wastes your time dealing with endless connections
    and premature hardware failures.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in Windows</a> malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201704194">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2017-04</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Microsoft has made Windows 7
    and 8.</p></li>

  <li><p>Windows 10 “upgrades” 8 cease to function on certain new computers, <a
      href="http://www.ghacks.net/2015/11/24/beware-latest-windows-10-update-may-remove-programs-automatically/">
      delete applications</a> without asking permission.</p></li>

  <li><p>
  Microsoft is
    href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-client/installing-updates-features-roles/processor-not-supported-together-with-windows-version">effectively
    forcing their owners to switch to Windows 10</a>.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201704134">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2017-04</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Microsoft <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/sep/11/microsoft-downloading-windows-1">
  repeatedly nagging many
    href="https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/04/new-processors-are-now-blocked-from-receiving-updates-on-old-windows/">
    has dropped support for Windows 7 and 8 on recent processors</a>
    in a big hurry.</p>

    <p>It makes no difference what legitimate reasons Microsoft might
    have for not doing work to support them. If it doesn't want to do
    this work, it should let users do the work.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201606270">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-06</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p id="windows10-forcing">In its efforts to install trick users of Windows 10</a>.
  </p></li>

<li><p>
    7 and 8 into installing all-spying Windows 10 against their
    will, Microsoft forced their computers to <a
    href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/sep/11/microsoft-downloading-windows-1">
    silently download… the whole of Windows 10</a>! Apparently,
    this was for months done through a <a
href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/feb/02/microsoft-downloading-windows-10-automatic-update">
tricking users
    href="/proprietary/proprietary-back-doors.html#windows-update">
    universal back door</a>. Not only did the unwanted downloads <a
    href="https://www.theregister.com/2016/06/03/windows_10_upgrade_satellite_link/">
    jeopardize important operations in regions of the world with poor
    connectivity</a>, but many of the people who let installation proceed
    found out that this “upgrade” was in fact a <a
    href="https://gizmodo.com/woman-wins-10-000-from-microsoft-after-unwanted-window-1782666146">
    downgrade</a>.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201606010">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-06</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Once Microsoft has tricked a user
    into “upgrading” to accepting installation of Windows 10</a>, if 10, <a
    href="https://www.theregister.com/2016/06/01/windows_10_nagware_no_way_out/">they
    find that they
failed are denied the option to notice and say no.
</p></li>

  <li><p><a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130622044225/http://blogs.computerworlduk.com/open-enterprise/2013/06/how-can-any-company-ever-trust-microsoft-again/index.htm">
  Microsoft informs cancel or even postpone the NSA
    imposed date of bugs installation</a>.</p>

    <p>This demonstrates what we've said for years: using proprietary
    software means letting someone have power over you, and you're going
    to get screwed sooner or later.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in Windows before fixing them.</a></p></li>

  <li><p><a href="http://www.computerworlduk.com/blogs/open-enterprise/windows-xp-end-of-an-era-end-of-an-error-3569489/"> malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201601310">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-01</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>FTDI's proprietary driver
    for its USB-to-serial chips has been designed to <a
    href="https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/10/windows-update-drivers-bricking-usb-serial-chips-beloved-of-hardware-hackers/">sabotage
    alternative compatible chips</a>
    so that they no longer work. Microsoft is <a
    href="https://it.slashdot.org/story/16/01/31/1720259/ftdi-driver-breaks-hardware-again">installing
    this automatically</a> as an “upgrade”.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201511240">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2015-11</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Windows 10 “upgrades” <a
    href="http://www.ghacks.net/2015/11/24/beware-latest-windows-10-update-may-remove-programs-automatically/">
    delete applications</a> without asking permission.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201503260">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2015-03</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p><a
    href="https://web.archive.org/web/20191205010621/https://www.computerworld.com/article/3423768/windows-xp--end-of-an-era--end-of-an-error.html">Microsoft
    cut off security fixes for Windows XP, except to some big users that
    pay exorbitantly.</a></p> exorbitantly</a>.</p>

    <p>Microsoft is going to <a href="http://www.computerworlduk.com/news/security/3605515/more-than-half-of-all-ie-users-face-patch-axe-in-10-months/">
    href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181030194725/https://www.computerworlduk.com/applications/more-than-half-of-all-ie-users-face-patch-axe-in-10-months-3605515/">
    cut off support for some Internet Explorer versions</a> in the same
    way.</p>

    <p>A person or company has the right to cease to work on a particular
    program; the wrong here is Microsoft does this after having made the
    users dependent on Microsoft, because they are not free to ask anyone
    else to work on the program for them.</p></li> them.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201306220">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2013-06</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p><a
    href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130622044225/http://blogs.computerworlduk.com/open-enterprise/2013/06/how-can-any-company-ever-trust-microsoft-again/index.htm">Microsoft
    informs the NSA of bugs in Windows before fixing them</a>.</p>
  </li>
</ul>


<h3 id="interference">Microsoft Interference</h3>

<p>Various proprietary programs often mess up id="subscriptions">Subscriptions</h3>

<ul class="blurbs">
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201507150">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2015-07</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Microsoft Office forces users <a
    href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2948755/office-for-windows-10-will-require-office-365-subscription-on-pcs-larger-tablets.html">to
    subscribe to Office 365 to be able to create/edit documents</a>.</p>
  </li>
</ul>


<h3 id="surveillance">Surveillance</h3>

<ul class="blurbs">
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202502230">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2025-02</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p><a
    href="https://proton.me/blog/outlook-is-microsofts-new-data-collection-service">
    Outlook has become a “data collection and ad delivery
    service”</a>. Since Outlook is now integrated with
    Microsoft “cloud” services, and doesn't support
    end-to-end encryption, the user's system. They company has full access to users'
    emails, contacts, and calendar events. Microsoft may also <a
    href="https://www.cyberkendra.com/2023/11/new-outlook-update-raises-privacy.html">
    retrieve credentials associated with any third-party services</a>
    that are like sabotage, synchronized with Outlook. This trove of personal data
    enables Microsoft, as well as its commercial partners, to flood
    users with targeted ads, and possibly to train “artificial
    intelligences.” Even worse, this data is available to any
    government that can force Microsoft to hand it over.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202407300">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2024-07</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>In its default configuration, Windows 11 now <a
    href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-11-now-turns-on-onedrive-folder-backup-without-your-permission/">
    uploads users' files and personal information to Microsoft's
    “cloud”</a> without asking permission to do so. This is
    presented as a convenient backup method, but they are if the allotted storage
    capacity is exceeded, the user will need to buy more space, increasing
    Microsoft's profit.</p>

    <p>However, this small profit is probably not grave enough the company's major
    reason for making cloud storage the default. Here is an excerpt
    from the <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-US/servicesagreement">
    Microsoft Services agreement</a> (Section 2b):</p>

    <blockquote><p><i>To the extent necessary to provide the Services to
    you and others, to protect you and the Services, and to improve
    Microsoft products and services, you grant to qualify Microsoft a worldwide
    and royalty-free intellectual property license to use Your Content,
    for example, to make copies of, retain, transmit, reformat,
    display, and distribute via communication tools Your Content on the word “sabotage”. Nonetheless, they
    Services.</i></p></blockquote>

    <p>We strongly suspect that the backed-up material is used to feed
    Microsoft's greedy “AI.” In addition, it is most likely
    analysed to better profile users in order to flood them with targeted
    ads, thereby generating more profit.</p>

    <p>Users, on the other hand, are nasty at the mercy of any
    entity that demands their data, let alone of any cracker
    that breaks into Microsoft's servers. They <em>must</em>
    escape from this sick environment, and wrong. This section install a sane <a
    href="https://www.gnu.org/distros/free-distros.html"> free/libre
    system</a>.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202306120">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2023-06</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Edge <a
    href="https://www.neowin.net/news/edge-sends-images-you-view-online-to-microsoft-here-is-how-to-disable-that/">sends
    the URLs of images the user views to Microsoft's servers</a> by
    default, supposedly to “enhance” them.  And these images
    <a href="/proprietary/proprietary-surveillance.html#M201405140">may
    end up on the NSA's servers</a>.</p>

    <p>Microsoft claims its nonfree browser sends the URLs without
    identifying you, which cannot be true, since at least your IP
    address is known to the server if you don't take extra measures.
    Either way, such enhancer service is unjust because any image editing
    <a href="/philosophy/who-does-that-server-really-serve.html">should
    be done on your own computer using installed free software</a>.</p>

    <p>The article describes examples how to disable sending the URLs.  That makes
    a change for the better, but we suggest that you instead switch to a
    freedom-respecting browser with additional privacy features such as
    <a href="/software/gnuzilla/">IceCat</a>.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202302080">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2023-02</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>As soon as it boots, and without asking any permission, <a
    href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230212120649/https://www.techspot.com/news/97535-windows-11-spyware-machine-out-users-control.html">Windows
    11 starts to send data to online servers</a>. The user's personal
    details, location or hardware information are reported to Microsoft and
    other companies to be used as telemetry data. All of this is done is
    the background, and users have no easy way to prevent it—unless
    they switch the computer offline.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202301190">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2023-01</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Microsoft <a
    href="https://betanews.com/2023/01/19/microsoft-is-using-the-kb5021751-update-to-see-if-you-have-an-unsupported-version-of-office-installed/">
    released an “update” that installs a surveillance
    program</a> on users' computers to gather data on some installed
    programs for Microsoft's benefit. The update is rolling out
    automatically, and the program runs “one time silently.”</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202209220">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2022-09</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Windows 11 Home and Pro now <a
    href="https://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-11-specifications">
    require internet connection and a Microsoft committing
interference.</p>

<ul>

<li>In order account</a> to increase
    complete the installation. Windows 10's 11 Pro had an option to create
    a local account instead, but the option has been removed. This
    account can (and most certainly will) be used for surveillance
    and privacy violations. Thankfully, a free software tool named <a
    href="https://gothub.projectsegfau.lt/pbatard/rufus/">Rufus</a> can bypass those
    requirements, or help users install base, a <a href="/distros/distros.html">
    free operating system</a> instead.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202011260">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2020-11</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Microsoft's Office 365 suite enables employers <a
    href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/nov/26/microsoft-productivity-score-feature-criticised-workplace-surveillance">to
    snoop on each employee</a>. After
    a public outburst, Microsoft stated that <a
href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/08/windows-10-microsoft-blatantly-disregards-user-choice-and-privacy-deep-dive">
blatantly disregards user choice and privacy</a>.
    href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/dec/02/microsoft-apologises-productivity-score-critics-derided-workplace-surveillance">it
    would remove this capability</a>. Let's hope so.</p>
  </li>

<li><p>Microsoft

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202010221">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2020-10</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Microsoft is imposing its
    surveillance on the game of Minecraft by <a
    href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/10/22/21527647/minecraft-microsoft-account-mojang-java">requiring
    every player to open an account on Microsoft's network</a>. Microsoft
    has
started bought the game and will merge all accounts into its network,
    which will give them access to people's data.</p>

    <p>Minecraft players <a
    href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Minetest">can play Minetest</a>
    instead. The essential advantage of Minetest is that it is free
    software, meaning it respects the user's computer freedom. As a bonus,
    it offers more options.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202010210">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2020-10</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>As of 2019-2020, Minecraft players are <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jul/04/microsoft-windows-10-full-screen-upgrade-notification-pop-up-reminder">nagging
    href="https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/article/java-edition-moving-house">being
    forced to move to Microsoft servers</a>, which results in
    privacy violation. Microsoft publishes a program so users obnoxiously can run
    their own server, but the program is proprietary and repeatedly it's another <a
    href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html">injustice
    to users</a>.</p>

    <p>People can play <a
    href="https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Minetest">Minetest</a>
    instead. Minetest is free software and respects the user's computer
    freedom.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202004301">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2020-04</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Proprietary programs Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and WebEx <a
    href="https://www.consumerreports.org/video-conferencing-services/videoconferencing-privacy-issues-google-microsoft-webex-a7383469308/">are
    collecting user's personal and identifiable data</a> including how long
    a call lasts, who's participating in the call, and the IP addresses
    of everyone taking part. From experience, this can even harm users
    physically if those companies hand over data to governments.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202004131">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2020-04</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Google, Apple, and Microsoft (and probably some other companies)
    <a href="https://www.lifewire.com/wifi-positioning-system-1683343">are
    collecting people's access points and GPS coordinates (which can
    identify people's precise location) even if their GPS is turned
    off</a>, without the person's consent, using proprietary software
    implemented in person's smartphone. Though merely asking for permission
    would not necessarily legitimize this.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201912160">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2019-12</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Microsoft is <a
    href="https://www.howtogeek.com/442609/confirmed-windows-10-setup-now-prevents-local-account-creation/">tricking
    users to create an account on their network</a> to be able to install
    and use the Windows 10</a>.</p></li>

  <li><p>Microsoft operating system, which is malware. The account can
    be used for surveillance and/or violating people's rights in many ways,
    such as turning their purchased software to a subscription product.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201908210">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2019-08</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Microsoft recorded users of Xboxes and had <a href="http://news.softpedia.com/news/windows-10-upgrade-reportedly-starting-automatically-on-windows-7-pcs-501651.shtml">is
        tricking
        users</a>
    href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/43kv4q/microsoft-human-contractors-listened-to-xbox-owners-homes-kinect-cortana">
    human workers listen to the recordings</a>.</p>

    <p>Morally, we see no difference between having human workers listen and
    having speech-recognition systems listen.  Both intrude on privacy.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201908151">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2019-08</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Skype refuses to say whether it can <a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160522062607/http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/03/17/microsoft_windows_10_upgrade_gwx_vs_humanity/">
into replacing Windows 7 with
    href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2012/07/20/skype_won_t_comment_on_whether_it_can_now_eavesdrop_on_conversations_.html">eavesdrop
    on calls</a>.</p>

    <p>That almost certainly means it can do so.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201905281">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2019-05</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Microsoft <a
    href="https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook_com/forum/all/why-does-my-new-e-mail-account-need-a-phone-number/70049eaf-3b66-4d02-87cc-79dc73c2ea08">forces
    people to give their phone number</a> in order to be able to create an account on
    the company's network. On top of mistreating their users by providing
    nonfree software, Microsoft is tracking their lives outside the computer and
    violates their privacy.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201710134">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2017-10</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Windows 10 telemetry program sends information to Microsoft about
    the user's computer and their use of the computer.</p>

    <p>Furthermore, for users who installed the
    fourth stable build of Windows 10</a>.</p></li>

  <li><p>Microsoft has made companies' 10, called the
    “Creators Update,” Windows machines managed by maximized the
company's
sysadmins surveillance <a href="http://www.infoworld.com/article/3042397/microsoft-windows/admins-beware-domain-attached-pcs-are-sprouting-get-windows-10-ads.html">harangue
users
    href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/10/dutch-privacy-regulator-says-that-windows-10-breaks-the-law/">
    by force setting the telemetry mode to complain “Full”</a>.</p>

    <p>The <a
    href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/privacy/configure-windows-diagnostic-data-in-your-organization#full-level">
    “Full” telemetry mode</a> allows Microsoft Windows
    engineers to the sysadmins about access, among other things, registry keys <a
    href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-2000-server/cc939702(v=technet.10)">
    which can contain sensitive information like administrator's login
    password</a>.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not “upgrading” edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201702020">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2017-02</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>DRM-restricted files can be used to Windows
10</a>.</p></li>
</ul>

<h3 id="surveillance">Microsoft Surveillance</h3>

<ul>

<li><p>By <a
    href="https://yro.slashdot.org/story/17/02/02/231229/windows-drm-protected-files-used-to-decloak-tor-browser-users">
    identify people browsing through Tor</a>. The vulnerability exists
    only if you use Windows.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201611240">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-11</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>By default, Windows 10 <a href="http://betanews.com/2016/11/24/microsoft-shares-windows-10-telemetry-data-with-third-parties">sends
    href="https://betanews.com/2016/11/24/microsoft-shares-windows-10-telemetry-data-with-third-parties/">sends
    debugging information to Microsoft, including core dumps</a>. Microsoft
    now distributes them to another company.</p></li>

<li>It company.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201608170.1">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-08</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>In order to increase Windows 10's install base, Microsoft <a class="not-a-duplicate" 
    href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/08/windows-10-microsoft-blatantly-disregards-user-choice-and-privacy-deep-dive">
    blatantly disregards user choice and privacy</a>.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201603170">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-03</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p><a
    href="https://duo.com/decipher/bring-your-own-dilemma-oem-laptops-and-windows-10-security">
    Windows 10 comes with 13 screens of snooping options</a>, all enabled
    by default, and turning them off would be daunting to most users.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201601050">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-01</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>It appears <a
href="http://www.ghacks.net/2016/01/05/microsoft-may-be-collecting-more-data-than-initially-thought/">
    href="https://www.ghacks.net/2016/01/05/microsoft-may-be-collecting-more-data-than-initially-thought/">
    Windows 10 sends data to Microsoft about what applications are 
running</a>.</li>

<li><p>A
    running</a>.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201511264">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2015-11</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>A downgrade to Windows 10 deleted surveillance-detection
    applications.  Then another downgrade inserted a general spying
    program.  Users noticed this and complained, so Microsoft renamed it <a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160407082751/http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/11/26/microsoft_renamed_data_slurper_reinserted_windows_10/">
    href="https://www.theregister.com/2015/11/26/microsoft_renamed_data_slurper_reinserted_windows_10/">
    to give users the impression it was gone</a>.</p>

    <p>To use proprietary software is to invite such treatment.</p></li>

  <li><p>
  <a href="https://duo.com/blog/bring-your-own-dilemma-oem-laptops-and-windows-10-security"> treatment.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201508130">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2015-08</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p><a
    href="https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/08/even-when-told-not-to-windows-10-just-cant-stop-talking-to-microsoft/">
    Windows 10 comes with 13 screens of snooping options</a>, all enabled by default,
  and turning them off would be daunting sends identifiable information to most users.</p></li>

  <li><p>
  Windows Microsoft</a>, even if
    a user turns off its Bing search and Cortana features, and activates
    the privacy-protection settings.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201507300">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2015-07</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Windows 10 <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151001035410/https://jonathan.porta.codes/2015/07/30/windows-10-seems-to-have-some-scary-privacy-defaults/">
    href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180923125732/https://jonathan.porta.codes/2015/07/30/windows-10-seems-to-have-some-scary-privacy-defaults/">
    ships with default settings that show no regard for the privacy of
    its users</a>, giving Microsoft the “right” to snoop on
    the users' files, text input, voice input, location info, contacts,
    calendar records and web browsing history, as well as automatically
    connecting the machines to open hotspots and showing targeted ads.</p>

    <p>We can suppose Microsoft look looks at users' files for the US government
    on demand, though the “privacy policy” does not explicit explicitly
    say so. Will it look at users' files for the Chinese government
    on demand?</p></li>

  <li><p>
  <a href="http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/08/even-when-told-not-to-windows-10-just-cant-stop-talking-to-microsoft/">
  Windows 10 sends identifiable information to Microsoft</a>, even if a user
  turns off its Bing search and Cortana features, and activates the
  privacy-protection settings.</p></li>

  <li><p>The unique “advertising ID” for each user enables other companies to
  track the browsing of each specific user.</p></li>

  <li>Spyware in Windows 8: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160313105805/http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/02/28/windows_update_keeps_tabs/">
  Windows Update snoops on the user.</a>
  <a href="http://www.infoworld.com/t/microsoft-windows/look-the-black-underbelly-of-windows-81-blue-222175">
  Windows 8.1 snoops on local searches.</a> And there's a
  <a href="http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article40836.html">
  secret NSA key in Windows</a>, whose functions we don't know.</li>

  <li><p>
  <a href="http://www.itproportal.com/2014/05/14/microsoft-openly-offered-cloud-data-fbi-and-nsa/">
  Microsoft SkyDrive allows the NSA to directly examine users' data.</a></p> demand?</p>
  </li>

  <li><p>Spyware

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in Skype:
      <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/petercohan/2013/06/20/project-chess-how-u-s-snoops-on-your-skype/">
      http://www.forbes.com/sites/petercohan/2013/06/20/project-chess-how-u-s-snoops-on-your-skype/</a>.
      Microsoft changed Skype
      <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/11/microsoft-nsa-collaboration-user-data">
      specifically for spying</a>.</p>
  </li>

  <li><p>
  Microsoft malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201506170">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2015-06</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Microsoft uses Windows 10's “privacy policy”
    to overtly impose a “right” to look at
    users' files at any time. Windows 10 full disk encryption <a href="https://edri.org/microsofts-new-small-print-how-your-personal-data-abused/">
    href="https://edri.org/our-work/microsofts-new-small-print-how-your-personal-data-abused/">
    gives Microsoft a key</a>.</p>

    <p>Thus, Windows is overt malware in regard to surveillance, as in
    other issues.</p>

  <p>We can suppose Microsoft look at users' files for the US government on
  demand, though the “privacy policy” does not explicit say so. Will it
  look at users' files for the Chinese government on demand?</p>

    <p>The unique “advertising ID” for each user enables
    other companies to track the browsing of each specific user.</p>

    <p>It's as if Microsoft has deliberately chosen to make Windows 10
    maximally evil on every dimension; to make a grab for total power
    over anyone that doesn't drop Windows now.</p></li> now.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201410040">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2014-10</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>It only gets worse with time.  <a
    href="https://www.techworm.net/2014/10/microsofts-windows-10-permission-watch-every-move.html">
    Windows 10 requires users to give permission for total snooping</a>,
    including their files, their commands, their text input, and their
    voice input.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201405140">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2014-05</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p><a
    href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190421070310/https://www.itproportal.com/2014/05/14/microsoft-openly-offered-cloud-data-fbi-and-nsa/">
    Microsoft SkyDrive allows the NSA to directly examine users'
    data</a>.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201307110">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2013-07</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Skype contains <a
    href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130928235637/http://www.forbes.com/sites/petercohan/2013/06/20/project-chess-how-u-s-snoops-on-your-skype/">spyware</a>.
    Microsoft changed Skype <a
    href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/11/microsoft-nsa-collaboration-user-data">
    specifically for spying</a>.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201307080">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2013-07</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Spyware in older versions of Windows: <a
    href="https://www.theregister.com/2003/02/28/windows_update_keeps_tabs/">
    Windows Update snoops on the user</a>. <a
    href="https://www.infoworld.com/article/2611451/a-look-at-the-black-underbelly-of-windows-8-1--blue-.html">
    Windows 8.1 snoops on local searches</a>. And there's a <a
    href="http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article40836.html"> secret NSA
    key in Windows</a>, whose functions we don't know.</p>
  </li>
</ul>


<h3 id="drm">Microsoft DRM</h3>
<ul>
  <li><p><a href="http://arstechnica.com/apple/2007/08/aacs-tentacles/">
  DRM (digital restrictions mechanisms) id="tethers">Tethers</h3>

<p>Tethers are functionalities that require constant (or very frequent)
connection to a server.</p>

<ul class="blurbs">
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in Windows</a>, introduced malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M202502280">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2025-02</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p><a
    href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/02/on-may-5-microsofts-skype-will-shut-down-for-good/">
    Microsoft is shutting down Skype</a> on May 5th, 2025. As with other
    tethered proprietary programs, users have to
  cater rely on servers that are
    controlled by the developer. When these servers shut down, the service
    disappears. Instead of migrating to the service that Microsoft suggests
    as a replacement, Skype users should regain control of their
    communications by switching to one that is based on free software.
    <a href="/proprietary/proprietary-drm.html#bluray">Bluray</a> disks.
  (The article also talks about how href="https://jitsi.org/jitsi-meet/">Jitsi Meet</a>, for example, is
    appropriate for small video meetings. Anyone can set up a Jitsi server
    and let other people use it, and indeed many of these are available
    around the same malware would later be introduced world.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in MacOS.)</p></li> malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201708310">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2017-08</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>The recent versions of Microsoft Office require the user to <a
    href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/microsoft-365-for-home-and-school-faq?legRedir=true&CorrelationId=c9c5b549-11ad-4f71-bf81-b7e069fdb372">
    connect to Microsoft servers at least every thirty-one
    days</a>. Otherwise, the software will refuse to edit any documents
    or create new ones. It will be restricted to viewing and printing.</p>
  </li>
</ul>


<h3 id="jails">Microsoft Jails</h3>
<ul>
  <li><p><a href="http://www.itworld.com/operating-systems/301057/microsoft-metro-app-store-lockdown"> id="jails">Jails</h3>

<p>Jails are systems that impose censorship on application programs.</p>

<ul class="blurbs">
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201706130">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2017-06</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Windows 10 S was a jail: <a
    href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/may/03/windows-10-s-microsoft-faster-pc-comparison">
    only programs from the Windows Store could be
    installed and executed</a>. It was however possible to <a
    href="https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/13/15789998/microsoft-windows-10-s-upgrade-windows-10-pro-guide">
    upgrade to Windows 10 Pro</a>. The successor of Windows
    10 S is a special configuration of Windows 10 called <a
    href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-and-windows-11-in-s-mode-faq-851057d6-1ee9-b9e5-c30b-93baebeebc85">
    S mode</a>. The major difference with Windows 10 S is that there is
    an easy way to switch out of S mode.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201210080">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2012-10</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p><a
    href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190917162027/https://www.itworld.com/article/2832657/microsoft-metro-app-store-lock-down.html">
    Windows 8 on “mobile devices” is (now defunct) was a jail</a>: it censors the
  user's choice of application programs.</p></li>
    jail</a>.</p>
  </li>
</ul>

<h3 id="tyrants">Microsoft Tyrants</h3>
<ul>
<li> id="tyrants">Tyrants</h3>

<p>Tyrants are systems that reject any operating system not
“authorized” by the manufacturer.</p>

<ul class="blurbs">
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201607150">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2016-07</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Microsoft accidentally left a way for users
    to install GNU/Linux on Windows RT tablets, but now it has <a
href="http://www.securitynewspaper.com/2016/07/15/microsoft-silently-kills-dev-backdoor-boots-linux-locked-windows-rt-slabs/">
    href="https://www.securitynewspaper.com/2016/07/15/microsoft-silently-kills-dev-backdoor-boots-linux-locked-windows-rt-slabs/">
    “fixed” the “error”</a>. Those arrogant
bastards They have the gall
    to call this “protecting” the users.  The article talks
    of installing “Linux”, but the context shows it is really
    <a href="/gnu/linux-and-gnu.html">GNU/Linux</a> that users
install.
</p> install.</p>
  </li>
  <li><p><a href="http://fsf.org/campaigns/secure-boot-vs-restricted-boot/">

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in malware-microsoft.html. -->
  <li id="M201110110">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2011-10</small>'
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    <p><a href="https://www.fsf.org/campaigns/secure-boot-vs-restricted-boot/">
    Mobile devices that come with Windows 8 are tyrants</a>: they block
  users from installing other or modified operating systems.</p></li> tyrants</a>.</p>
  </li>
</ul>
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<p>As this page shows, if you do want to clean your computer of malware,
the first software to delete is Windows.</p>

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