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<title>Proprietary Software
- GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title>
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<h2>Proprietary Software Is Often Malware</h2>

<div id="skiplinks">
<p class="button"><a href="#TOC">Table of contents</a></p>
<p class="button"><a href="#latest">Latest additions</a></p>
</div>
<div style="clear: both"></div>

<div id="about-section">
<p>Proprietary software, also called nonfree software,
means software that doesn't
<a href="/philosophy/free-sw.html">respect users' freedom and
community</a>.  A proprietary program puts its developer or owner
<a href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html">
in a position of power over its users.</a>
This power is in itself an injustice.</p>

<p>The point of this page directory is to show by examples that the initial
injustice of proprietary software often leads to further injustices:
malicious functionalities.</p>

<p>Power corrupts; the proprietary program's developer is tempted to
design the program to mistreat its users.  (Software whose functioning designed to
function in a way that mistreats the user is called <em>malware</em>.)
Of course, the developer usually does not do this out of malice, but
rather to profit more at the users' expense.  That does not make it
any less nasty or more legitimate.</p>

<p>Yielding to that temptation has become ever more frequent; nowadays
it is standard practice.  Modern proprietary software is typically
an opportunity to be tricked, harmed, bullied or swindled.</p>

<p>Online services are not released software, but in regard to all the
bad aspects, using a way service is equivalent to using a copy of released
software.  In particular, a service can be had.</p> designed to mistreat the
user, and many services do that.  However, we do not list instances of
malicious dis-services here, for two reasons.  First, a service
(whether malicious or not) is not a program that one could install a
copy of, and there is no way at all for users to change it.  Second,
it is so obvious that a service can mistreat users if the owner wishes
that we hardly need to prove it.</p>

<p>However, most online services require the user to run a nonfree
app.  The app <em>is</em> released software, so we do list malicious
functionalities of these apps.  Mistreatment by the service itself is
imposed by use of the app, so sometimes we mention those mistreatments
too—but we try to state explicitly what is done by the app and
what is done by the dis-service.</p>

<p>When a web site provides access to a service, it very likely sends
nonfree JavaScript software to execute in the user's browser.  Such
JavaScript code is released software, and it's morally equivalent to
other nonfree apps.  If it does malicious things, we want to mention
them here.</p>

<p>When talking about mobile phones, we do
list <a href="/proprietary/malware-mobiles.html#phone-communications">one
other malicious characteristic, location tracking</a> which is caused
by the underlying radio system rather than by the specific software in
them.</p>
</div>

<p>As of April, 2017, May 2025, the files pages in this directory list around 300 650
instances of malicious functionalities, functionalities (with more than 760 references to
back them up), but there are surely thousands more we don't know about.</p>

<div class="toc">
<div class="companies">
<h3>Company

<p>Ideally we would list every instance.  If you come across an
instance which we do not list, please write to webmasters@gnu.org to
tell us about it.  Please include a reference to a reputable article
that describes the malicious behavior clearly; we won't list an item
without documentation to point to.</p>

<p>If you want to be notified when we add new items or type of product</h3>
<ul> make other changes,
subscribe to the <a
href="https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/www-malware-commits">mailing list
<www-malware-commits@gnu.org></a>.</p>

<table id="TOC">
 <tr>
  <th>Injustices or techniques</th>
  <th>Products or companies</th>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td>
   <ul class="columns">
    <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-apple.html">Apple Malware</a></li> href="/proprietary/proprietary-addictions.html">Addictions</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-microsoft.html">Microsoft Malware</a></li> href="/proprietary/proprietary-back-doors.html">Back doors</a> (<a href="#f1">1</a>)</li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-google.html">Google Malware</a></li> href="/proprietary/proprietary-censorship.html">Censorship</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-adobe.html">Adobe Malware</a></li> href="/proprietary/proprietary-coercion.html">Coercion</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-amazon.html">Amazon Malware</a></li> href="/proprietary/proprietary-coverups.html">Coverups</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-webpages.html">Malware in webpages</a></li> href="/proprietary/proprietary-deception.html">Deception</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-mobiles.html">Malware in mobile devices</a></li> href="/proprietary/proprietary-drm.html">DRM</a> (<a href="#f2">2</a>)</li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-games.html">Malware in games</a></li> href="/proprietary/proprietary-fraud.html">Fraud</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-appliances.html">Malware in appliances</a></li> href="/proprietary/proprietary-incompatibility.html">Incompatibility</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-cars.html">Malware in cars</a></li> href="/proprietary/proprietary-insecurity.html">Insecurity</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-interference.html">Interference</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-jails.html">Jails</a> (<a href="#f3">3</a>)</li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-manipulation.html">Manipulation</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-obsolescence.html">Obsolescence</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-sabotage.html">Sabotage</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-subscriptions.html">Subscriptions</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-surveillance.html">Surveillance</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-tethers.html">Tethers</a> (<a href="#f4">4</a>)</li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-tyrants.html">Tyrants</a> (<a href="#f5">5</a>)</li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/potential-malware.html">In the pipe</a></li>
   </ul>
</div>

<div class="malfunctions">
<h3>Type of malware</h3>
  </td>
  <td>
   <ul>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-back-doors.html">Back doors</a></li> href="/proprietary/malware-appliances.html">Appliances</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-censorship.html">Censorship</a></li> href="/proprietary/malware-cars.html">Cars</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-coverups.html">Coverups</a></li> href="/proprietary/malware-in-online-conferencing.html">Conferencing</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-deception.html">Deception</a></li> href="/proprietary/malware-edtech.html">EdTech</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-insecurity.html">Insecurity</a></li> href="/proprietary/malware-games.html">Games</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-sabotage.html">Sabotage</a></li> href="/proprietary/malware-mobiles.html">Mobiles</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-interference.html">Interference</a></li> href="/proprietary/malware-webpages.html">Webpages</a></li>
    
   </ul>
   <ul>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-surveillance.html">Surveillance</a></li> href="/proprietary/malware-adobe.html">Adobe</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-subscriptions.html">Subscriptions</a></li> href="/proprietary/malware-amazon.html">Amazon</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-tethers.html">Tethers</a> to
servers</li> href="/proprietary/malware-apple.html">Apple</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-google.html">Google</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-drm.html">Digital href="/proprietary/malware-microsoft.html">Microsoft</a></li>
   </ul>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td colspan="2">
   <ol>
    <li id="f1"><em>Back door:</em>  any feature of a program
     that enables someone who is not supposed to be in control of the
     computer where it is installed to send it commands.</li>

    <li id="f2"><em>Digital restrictions
    management</a> management, or “DRM” means
     “DRM”:</em>  functionalities designed to restrict
     what users can do with the data in their computers.</li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-jails.html">Jails</a>—systems

    <li id="f3"><em>Jail:</em>  system that impose imposes censorship on
     application programs.</li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-tyrants.html">Tyrants</a>—systems

    <li id="f4"><em>Tether:</em>  functionality that requires
     permanent (or very frequent) connection to a server.</li>

    <li id="f5"><em>Tyrant:</em>  system that reject rejects any operating
     system not “authorized” by the manufacturer.</li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/potential-malware.html">Potential Malware</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
   </ol>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p>Users of proprietary software are defenseless against these forms
of mistreatment.  The way to avoid them is by insisting on
<a href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html">free
(freedom-respecting) software.</a> software</a>.  Since free software is controlled
by its users, they have a pretty good defense against malicious
software functionality.</p>

<h3 id="latest">Latest additions</h3>

<ul class="blurbs">
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary.html. -->
  <li id="M202505101">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2025-05</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>With Windows 10 soon reaching
    obsolescence, users whose computer is not modern enough are <a
    href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/cant-upgrade-your-windows-10-pc-here-are-you-options-before-it-all-ends-in-5-months/">
    facing unjust choices</a>, such as paying for updates or buying
    a new computer. But their best option is to replace Windows with
    a <a href="/distros/free-distros.html">free operating system</a>,
    and enjoy the freedom and justice it brings them.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary.html. -->
  <li id="M202505190">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2025-05</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Microsoft Teams has been <a
    href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/may/19/nsw-education-department-caught-unaware-after-microsoft-teams-began-collecting-students-biometric-data">
    collecting voice and face data</a>
    from students of an Australian school, to feed the CoPilot
    chatbot. It took the school network administrators a
    whole month to realize what was happening, and disable this
    malfeature. It was obviously beyond their imagination that
    Microsoft could have <a
    href="https://learn.microsoft.com/microsoftteams/rooms/voice-and-face-recognition#admin-settings">
    made biometric data collection the default</a> in Teams!</p>

    <p>Let's hope legislators and regulatory agencies all over the world
    will quickly put a stop to this sort of outrageous practice.</p>

    <p>In any case people would be better off switching to a free-software
    replacement such as Jitsi Meet for medium-size groups, or Big Blue
    Button for larger ones. Many public instances are available, and
    groups of users can also set up their own servers.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary.html. -->
  <li id="M202505100">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2025-05</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Nintendo has been known to <a
    href="/proprietary/malware-games.html#M201410130">remotely brick
    the Wii</a> until users consented to new, more restrictive legal
    terms. This company is now  pushing tyranny even further: in the
    2025 update of its User Account Agreement, it warns that <a
    href="https://www.eurogamer.net/nintendo-reserves-the-right-to-brick-your-console-following-unauthorised-use-in-bid-to-prevent-piracy">
    Switch consoles may be <em>permanently</em> bricked if they are
    not used as authorized</a>.</p>

    <p>In addition, Nintendo can record audio and video chats for
    moderation purposes. User's consent is required, but there is no
    guarantee that the recordings will not be sent to third parties.
    In short, there is no privacy in these chats.</p>

    <p>If you ever consider buying a Switch, think twice, because you
    will not own it. Nintendo will.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary.html. -->
  <li id="M202412120">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2024-12</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>BeReal, a nonfree social media app, pressures users into <a
    href="https://noyb.eu/en/bereal-app-wont-take-no-answer"> giving their
    consent to tracking by means of dark patterns and harrassment</a>.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary.html. -->
  <li id="M202503140">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2025-03</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Amazon has <a
    href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/03/everything-you-say-to-your-echo-will-be-sent-to-amazon-starting-on-march-28/">
    removed the “Do Not Send Voice Recordings” option from
    Echo devices</a>, including from devices that support local processing
    of these recordings. All private conversations are now used to train
    Alexa's “artificial intelligence.” Moreover, if users
    choose not to save recordings, they will lose some advanced functions
    of Alexa that they paid for.</p>

    <p>This wouldn't happen if software in the Echo were free. Users would
    be able to restore the “Do Not Send Voice Recordings”
    option.</p>
  </li>
</ul>
<p class="button right-align">
<a href="/proprietary/all.html">More items…</a></p>
</div>

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