What exactly does KB2952664 do?

Kudos. That is the most comprehensive reply yet to this thread. Trouble is that it's sad this thread even has to exist.

I do wait about two weeks before updating any of our clients machines and I have been maintaining a list of MS Updates for the past couple of years (I know, OCD).

Here's the list of KBxxxxxxx that I have found to be bogus:

KB3044374  14Apr2014  Stages upgrade from Win 8.1 to Win 10

KB2952664  22Apr2014  The Bad One - The auto Installer

KB2976978  12May2014  Spyware/Nagware to prep for Win 10

KB2977759  13Oct2014   Spyware/Nagware to prep for Win 10

KB3004394  08Dec2014  Trusted Installer update to enable Win 10

KB3021917  12Dec2014  Spyware/Nagware to prep for Win 10

KB3035583  27Mar2015  The other Bad One - The GWX Installer

http://www.infoworld.com/article/2906002/operating-systems/mystery-patch-kb-3035583-for-windows-7-and-8-revealed-it-s-a-windows-10-prompter-downloader.html

KB2990214  06Apr2015  Stages upgrade from Win 7 to Win 10

KB3022345  22Apr2015  Spyware/Nagware to prep for Win 10 (billed as update to "Customer Experience" - yeah, right)

KB3068708  02Jun2015  Update to enable auto-install  of Win 10

KB3058168  16Jun2015  Update that enables Windows 8.1 and Windows 8 KMS hosts to activate Windows 10

KB2505438  11Aug2015  Spyware/Nagware to prep for Win 10

KB3075249  11Aug2015  Spyware/Nagware to prep for Win 10

http://www.hakspek.com/security/updates-make-windows-7-and-8-spy-on-you-like-windows-10/

KB3075851  11Aug2015  Spyware/Nagware to prep for Win 10

KB3080149  11Aug2015  Spyware/Nagware to prep for Win 10

Same URL as KB3075249

KB2999226  08Sep2015  Spyware/Nagware to prep for Win 10

KB3083324  08Sep2015  Windows Update Client for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2: Alters Windows to prepare for data collection pending install of Windows 10

KB3083710  06Oct2015  Update to improve performance of "Windows Update Client". Stealth Windows 10 package (Win 8 and Win 2012).

http://www.infoworld.com/article/2989896/microsoft-windows/windows-snooping-and-nagging-patches-return-kb-3035583-kb-2952664.html

KB3083711  06Oct2015  Update to improve performance of "Windows Update Client". Stealth Windows 10 package (Win 7 and Win 2008)

Same URL as above

KB3123862  09Feb2016  Pushes win 10 install files

KB3115445  09Feb2016  Spyware/Nagware to prep for Win 10

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows\_7-update/kb-3135445-for-windows-7/2e50c65e-c44f-4cee-94d2-5b44119233a1?auth=1

KB3138612  09Feb2016  Spyware/Nagware to prep for Win 10

http://www.askwoody.com/tag/kb-3138612/

The Ask Woody site is a great resource

The thing that genuinely distresses me is that I was a big fan of Microsoft. I liked the company and I love a lot of their products, but this is just crossing a line. I also know that the word "Spyware" can be considered inflammatory and I also believe it is appropriate when viewed in this context.

While I am fully cognizant that most users will probably never know (nor care) about what Microsoft is doing, Microsoft has destroyed a tremendous amount of goodwill that has existed in the IT community and they may never get it back. I simply don't trust them any more.

Here's the list of KBxxxxxxx that I have found to be bogus:

...

KB3123862  09Feb2016  Pushes win 10 install files

KB3115445  09Feb2016  Spyware/Nagware to prep for Win 10

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows\_7-update/kb-3135445-for-windows-7/2e50c65e-c44f-4cee-94d2-5b44119233a1?auth=1

KB3138612  09Feb2016  Spyware/Nagware to prep for Win 10

...

Thanks for the info, especially the February updates since GWX Control Panel has not been updated since 24 January.  I already had most of the earlier ones.  I'm not just concerned with the KB updates anymore since I'm fairly certain a nag came in with my Office 365 subscription upgrade.  The timing just made that software suspect.

KB2952664 re-appeared (#23) via Windows Update (Windows 7).

KB2952664 re-appeared (#23) via Windows Update (Windows 7).

Someone needs to write an app that keeps updates hidden in spite of new versions.

GWX Control Panel was updated on 30 March to v1.7.4.0

That app SHOULD be GWX.  Not sure how it works -- does it actively block updates, warn you BEFORE applying, or only detect and back off if you fell for it?  I installed it recently and scored 100 -- I hadn't installed any of their hacks, and had disabled all the right things.

(I also read somewhere and changed a registry and/or group policy setting that should also prevent me from downgrading to Win10.

Dies anyone know the status of that IE11 security upgrade, that apparently had included annoyware, maybe wasting screen real estate with an ad to do the upgrade?  I haven't applied that and don't know what to do about that.

As bad as this **** is that microsoft keeps trying to trick us or annoy us into downgrading to Win10, sneaking it into a security update because they knew that people have been only installing security updates is far beyond.  You either get suckered into it, or you are missing important security fixes.  I wonder if that will make them liable for forcing people to be vulnerable.