Original title: Microsoft is installing SPYWARE thru Windows Updates? Windows updates installed something called "Diagnostics Tracking Service" in my Windows 8.1 Pro. Take a look at THIS website. http://thepcwhisperer.blogspot.in/2014/10/microsofts-windows-10-preview-has-built.html It says what this service does in Windows 10 TP. Data We Collect When you acquire, install and use the Program, Microsoft collects information about you, your devices, applications and networks, and your use of those devices, applications and networks. Examples of data we collect include your name, email address, preferences and interests; browsing, search and file history; phone call and SMS data ; device configuration and sensor data; and application usage. For example, when you: install the Program, we may collect information about your device and applications and use it for purposes such as determining or improving compatibility, use voice input features like speech-to-text, we may collect voice information and use it for purposes such as improving speech processing, open a file, we may collect information about the file, the application used to open the file, and how long it takes and use it for purposes such as improving performance, or enter text, we may collect typed characters and use them for purposes such as improving auto complete and spell check features. While this might make some sense in a TP (although I consider collecting so much personal information as email addresses and keystrokes to be extreme), it makes no sense in a released Windows version. It's not like I have downloaded it myself from their website as a loving gesture and I want to share whatever I do in my personal life with Microsoft. They slipped it in as an "update" to Windows 8.1 This is definitely spyware behavior in some sense. It's collecting too much personal data. I don't want to share ANYTHING with Microsoft. I have NOT turned on the customer improvement program thing in Windows. WHY IS MICROSOFT DOING THIS? WHICH KB DO I NEED TO UNINSTALL AND BLOCK IN ORDER TO GET RID OF THIS? WHY IS MY ANTIVIRUS NOT REMOVING THIS? HAS MS PAID THE ANTIVIRUS VENDORS? SHOULD I DISABLE AUTOMATIC UPDATES? I'M LOSING TRUST ON MICROSOFT. THEY CAN INSTALL SPYWARE ANY MOMENT, I CANNOT INDIVIDUALLY CHECK THE KB ARTICLE ON EVERY UPDATE JUST TO MAKE SURE IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'LL SEND PERSONAL INFORMATION BACK TO MS. I'm really upset about this. :(

See this article: http://www.winbeta.org/news/hows-whys-windows-10-telemetry-settings If your seeing utcsvc in Task Manager you've probably installed a few telemetry updates. Check this article for details and then compare the telemetry updates with what you have installed: http://techne.alaya.net/?p=12499 If you find any, uninstall them. I wouldn't bother with reconfiguring your router though as suggested in the article since the W10 free update is due to expire in a a couple of weeks time, but the links which follow are worth a read. To prevent Windows 10 from installing download Never10: https://www.grc.com/never10.htm The app makes a simple change to the registry to prevent the upgrade from installing even if you've downloaded the upgrade package.

Jesus Christ from now on spyware must be considered as "updates". People out there you must really consider that disable Windows Updates should be mandatory if you want to preserve your mental integrity and your sacred privacy. I´ve been using Windows for more than 30 years without allowing a single damn update and i´m still alive.

Hi Guys, I must say I'm very disappointed with MS sneaking this SPYWARE in with an update, like you guys I thought MS was a big enough company that could be trusted and would not be interested in obtaining this type of personal information. How ever I tried the suggested by Lead3 and I can't find this update and yes I would like to remove this spyware I'm running windows 10 64pro and I do not believe I have optional updates on so I have no idea when or how this got installed. Thanks in advance for any assistance you may be able to provide. Paul.

*"* It did not install unless you selected it since it was optional" People who are late to the party (like me) should know that the above information is not accurate . I have this executable and KB3022345 is not installed on my machine. Microsoft bundled it somewhere else. I did a clean install of 8.1 less than 24 hrs ago. My Windows Update was set to check but let me choose what to download/install. Despite this, Windows downloaded and installed over 220 updates. Approximately one hour ago I attempted to install 2 optional updates. Windows installed them, plus all of the available 'Important' updates. I got 21 updates and subsequently discovered that Windows also changed my Update settings to fully automatic. I have no idea where the Diagnostics Tracking Service was snuck in but I'm tired of wasting time trying to hunt it down. I disabled it in Services, along with Windows Update. Microsoft is doing whatever it pleases with user computers and data. A few decades of this BS is more than enough for me. We need to hit the company where it hurts ... in the pocketbook. My next computer/laptop/whatever will not run Windows.

What is Diagnostics Tracking Service which was installed from Windows Updates?

Anonymous

Original title: Microsoft is installing SPYWARE thru Windows Updates?

Windows updates installed something called "Diagnostics Tracking Service" in my Windows 8.1 Pro.

Take a look at THIS website.

http://thepcwhisperer.blogspot.in/2014/10/microsofts-windows-10-preview-has-built.html

It says what this service does in Windows 10 TP.

Data We Collect

When you acquire, install and use the Program, Microsoft collects information about you, your devices, applications and networks, and your use of those devices, applications and networks. Examples of data we collect include your name, email address, preferences and interests; browsing, search and file history; phone call and SMS data; device configuration and sensor data; and application usage. For example, when you:

install the Program, we may collect information about your device and applications and use it for purposes such as determining or improving compatibility,
use voice input features like speech-to-text, we may collect voice information and use it for purposes such as improving speech processing,
open a file, we may collect information about the file, the application used to open the file, and how long it takes and use it for purposes such as improving performance, or
enter text, we may collect typed characters and use them for purposes such as improving auto complete and spell check features.

While this might make some sense in a TP (although I consider collecting so much personal information as email addresses and keystrokes to be extreme), it makes no sense in a released Windows version.

It's not like I have downloaded it myself from their website as a loving gesture and I want to share whatever I do in my personal life with Microsoft. They slipped it in as an "update" to Windows 8.1

This is definitely spyware behavior in some sense. It's collecting too much personal data.

I don't want to share ANYTHING with Microsoft. I have NOT turned on the customer improvement program thing in Windows.

WHY IS MICROSOFT DOING THIS?

WHICH KB DO I NEED TO UNINSTALL AND BLOCK IN ORDER TO GET RID OF THIS?

WHY IS MY ANTIVIRUS NOT REMOVING THIS? HAS MS PAID THE ANTIVIRUS VENDORS?

SHOULD I DISABLE AUTOMATIC UPDATES? I'M LOSING TRUST ON MICROSOFT. THEY CAN INSTALL SPYWARE ANY MOMENT, I CANNOT INDIVIDUALLY CHECK THE KB ARTICLE ON EVERY UPDATE JUST TO MAKE SURE IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'LL SEND PERSONAL INFORMATION BACK TO MS.

I'm really upset about this. :(

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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51 answers

Anonymous

2016-07-09T19:02:19+00:00

See this article: http://www.winbeta.org/news/hows-whys-windows-10-telemetry-settings

If your seeing utcsvc in Task Manager you've probably installed a few telemetry updates. Check this article for details and then compare the telemetry updates with what you have installed:

http://techne.alaya.net/?p=12499

If you find any, uninstall them.

I wouldn't bother with reconfiguring your router though as suggested in the article since the W10 free update is due to expire in a a couple of weeks time, but the links which follow are worth a read.

To prevent Windows 10 from installing download Never10: https://www.grc.com/never10.htm

The app makes a simple change to the registry to prevent the upgrade from installing even if you've downloaded the upgrade package.
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Anonymous

2016-08-19T05:34:35+00:00

Jesus Christ from now on spyware must be considered as "updates". People out there you must really consider that disable Windows Updates should be mandatory if you want to preserve your mental integrity and your sacred privacy.

I´ve been using Windows for more than 30 years without allowing a single damn update and i´m still alive.
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Anonymous

2016-09-11T09:02:41+00:00

Take a look at THIS website.

http://thepcwhisperer.blogspot.in/2014/10/microsofts-windows-10-preview-has-built.html

It says what this service does in Windows 10 TP.

Data We Collect

When you acquire, install and use the Program, Microsoft collects information about you

Just when you thought it was gone!

The Diagnostic Tracking Service Has been renamed to Connected User Experience

http://thepcwhisperer.blogspot.com/2016/02/disable-connected-user-experiences.html?m=1
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Anonymous

2017-08-09T14:27:22+00:00

Hi Guys,

I must say I'm very disappointed with MS sneaking this SPYWARE in with an update, like you guys I thought MS was a big enough company that could be trusted and would not be interested in obtaining this type of personal information.

How ever I tried the suggested by Lead3 and I can't find this update and yes I would like to remove this spyware I'm running windows 10 64pro and I do not believe I have optional updates on so I have no idea when or how this got installed.

Thanks in advance for any assistance you may be able to provide.

Paul.
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Anonymous

2017-08-25T10:09:00+00:00

*"*It did not install unless you selected it since it was optional"

People who are late to the party (like me) should know that the above information is not accurate. I have this executable and KB3022345 is not installed on my machine. Microsoft bundled it somewhere else.

I did a clean install of 8.1 less than 24 hrs ago. My Windows Update was set to check but let me choose what to download/install. Despite this, Windows downloaded and installed over 220 updates. Approximately one hour ago I attempted to install 2 optional updates. Windows installed them, plus all of the available 'Important' updates. I got 21 updates and subsequently discovered that Windows also changed my Update settings to fully automatic.

I have no idea where the Diagnostics Tracking Service was snuck in but I'm tired of wasting time trying to hunt it down. I disabled it in Services, along with Windows Update.

Microsoft is doing whatever it pleases with user computers and data. A few decades of this BS is more than enough for me. We need to hit the company where it hurts ... in the pocketbook. My next computer/laptop/whatever will not run Windows.
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4 people found this answer helpful.

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