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. :(

monsters, Here's what you do to uninstall it:- *Open CONTROL PANEL. (Switch to "Large Icons") *Open "PROGRAMS AND FEATURES". *On the top left side of this window, click "VIEW INSTALLED UPDATES". -- a list of ALL installed updates will show up. *On the search box in the top right corner of this window, TYPE "KB3022345" (without the quotes). KB3022345 will show up. *RIGHT CLICK ON KB3022345 AND CLICK "UNINSTALL". Close this window. **Immediately after uninstall completes, Open "Windows Updates" in control panel, and check for updates again. Windows update will offer KB3022345 for download again... Right click on KB3022345 in the list of optional updates, and click "HIDE UPDATE". Remember this number by heart KB3022345.. Every time you download optional updates, make sure KB3022345 is NOT selected. Once you complete step ** , Windows Update should NOT offer KB3022345 any more, but I've read somewhere that KB3022345 randomly shows up as an optional update even after the user chooses to hide it, no idea why.. I too would like a proper explanation about what this service does. NOT from FANBOYS DEFENDING EVERYTHING MICROSOFT, but from a real Microsoft employee. It collects HUGE amounts of data in Windows 10. Since it's the exact same service, chances are it collects the same huge amount of data in Windows 8.1 as well. These fanboys will point out that my original citation was actually a page written for Windows 10, but won't point out to any source confirming that this service does a different thing in Windows 8.1.

I agree with you completely. It would be nice to hear from someone from Microsoft. Even if if this service turns out not to be intrusive, they still went about distributing it the wrong way. As BritFox pointed out it, they were not honest in the way they categorized this update. The update had the the generic optional update description which said "Install this update to resolve issues in Windows." This does not resolve anything and should not have been labeled as such. It adds a new feature/service, and just like when skype was offered as an optional update (which was labeled as "Skype"), it should have had it's own label... maybe called... drumroll please.... "Diagnostic Tracking Service." I will be scrutinizing future optional updates much more carefully before installing them. About uninstalling: I had already tried doing what you suggested and got an error message (see screenshot in my last post). Any other ideas? I submited a new issue about having problems uninstalling the update: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8_1-windows_update/having-trouble-uninstalling-windows-optional/3a972cda-3246-456a-92e3-be1da9aead96 Hopefully it will help other people if they are having the same problem.

PATCH TUESDAY !!! The KB3022345 has morphed into a recommanded "important" update and selected by default ! While it's still the same "service"... We are still waiting for more informations...

Shilohbob , You're welcome. My primary reason for posting this was to understand why they're doing this, but I'm glad some users will read this and avoid the update. Unfortunately, most people using their computers are not tech savvy people who read forum posts, unless they're already having an issue and have posted a question to resolve the issue.. The diagnostics tracking service is incredibly difficult to spot, as people won't probably open the task manager and manually go thru 70 process names just to make sure a bad process is not running. It's even more difficult to detect as this service does not interact with the desktop, there are no open windows to inform the user that information is being sent over the internet to Microsoft, and he/she is being tracked, and there is no performance hit. It's like a "perfect-spyware", they only exception being it's easy to remove once spotted. I still think it is a bad move by Microsoft to include this as an "Update". Like BritFox wrote in his post, this does not fix a "specific problem" with the OS, does not "improve" functionality in any way, and offers absolutely no benefits as far as the end user is concerned. The only entity to benefit from this, is Microsoft. This isn't an "update". It should not be included as an optional update. They can offer a download link in their website and clearly inform the users about the massive amounts of data this service will send back home to Microsoft ( "This tracking service collects data about functional issues in Windows" -- is NOT a proper explanation of what kind of data it will collect. It does not inform users that it will collect every search query, every file he opens, every website he visits, his/her name, email address, preferences and interests, and pretty much every keystroke ) . If the user chooses to install it after reading it all, then fine. It's NOT a typical update. It's NOT what an user expects to be installed by Windows Updates on a non-beta OS he/she has purchased. Users are "Consumers", not "non-paid software testers". It's a sad day for us long-time Windows users. Windows is becoming the next Android. Microsoft is becoming the next Google. Very sad. Hi. At least some of you by now, will understand how the " NSA " gets what they need. Regards.

PATCH TUESDAY !!! The KB3022345 has morphed into a recommanded "important" update and selected by default ! While it's still the same "service"... We are still waiting for more informations... Didn't you "blacklist" the update when it was "optional"? On my laptop, Windows installed 16 important updates this Tuesday, but KB3022345 was not included. I double checked after reading your post, the service is not present in services.msc, and is not running in task manager. Uninstall it, check for updates immediately after uninstalling, Windows will show KB3022345 as available update again, blacklist it.. Microsoft, PLEASE stop installing trackers on our computers. Please.

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

2015-05-08T14:10:25+00:00

monsters,

Here's what you do to uninstall it:-

*Open CONTROL PANEL. (Switch to "Large Icons")

*Open "PROGRAMS AND FEATURES".

*On the top left side of this window, click "VIEW INSTALLED UPDATES". -- a list of ALL installed updates will show up.

*On the search box in the top right corner of this window, TYPE "KB3022345" (without the quotes).

KB3022345 will show up.

*RIGHT CLICK ON KB3022345 AND CLICK "UNINSTALL".

Close this window.

**Immediately after uninstall completes, Open "Windows Updates" in control panel, and check for updates again.

Windows update will offer KB3022345 for download again...

Right click on KB3022345 in the list of optional updates, and click "HIDE UPDATE".

Remember this number by heart KB3022345.. Every time you download optional updates, make sure KB3022345 is NOT selected. Once you complete step ** , Windows Update should NOT offer KB3022345 any more, but I've read somewhere that KB3022345 randomly shows up as an optional update even after the user chooses to hide it, no idea why..

I too would like a proper explanation about what this service does.

NOT from FANBOYS DEFENDING EVERYTHING MICROSOFT, but from a real Microsoft employee.

It collects HUGE amounts of data in Windows 10. Since it's the exact same service, chances are it collects the same huge amount of data in Windows 8.1 as well.

These fanboys will point out that my original citation was actually a page written for Windows 10, but won't point out to any source confirming that this service does a different thing in Windows 8.1.
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Anonymous

2015-05-08T21:04:35+00:00

I agree with you completely. It would be nice to hear from someone from Microsoft.

Even if if this service turns out not to be intrusive, they still went about distributing it the wrong way. As BritFox pointed out it, they were not honest in the way they categorized this update. The update had the the generic optional update description which said "Install this update to resolve issues in Windows." This does not resolve anything and should not have been labeled as such. It adds a new feature/service, and just like when skype was offered as an optional update (which was labeled as "Skype"), it should have had it's own label... maybe called... drumroll please.... "Diagnostic Tracking Service." I will be scrutinizing future optional updates much more carefully before installing them.

About uninstalling:

I had already tried doing what you suggested and got an error message (see screenshot in my last post). Any other ideas?

I submited a new issue about having problems uninstalling the update: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8_1-windows_update/having-trouble-uninstalling-windows-optional/3a972cda-3246-456a-92e3-be1da9aead96

Hopefully it will help other people if they are having the same problem.
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Anonymous

2015-05-12T19:47:13+00:00

PATCH TUESDAY !!!

The KB3022345 has morphed into a recommanded "important" update and selected by default !

While it's still the same "service"...

We are still waiting for more informations...
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Anonymous

2015-05-12T21:19:21+00:00

Shilohbob, You're welcome.

My primary reason for posting this was to understand why they're doing this, but I'm glad some users will read this and avoid the update.

Unfortunately, most people using their computers are not tech savvy people who read forum posts, unless they're already having an issue and have posted a question to resolve the issue..

The diagnostics tracking service is incredibly difficult to spot, as people won't probably open the task manager and manually go thru 70 process names just to make sure a bad process is not running.

It's even more difficult to detect as this service does not interact with the desktop, there are no open windows to inform the user that information is being sent over the internet to Microsoft, and he/she is being tracked, and there is no performance hit.

It's like a "perfect-spyware", they only exception being it's easy to remove once spotted.

I still think it is a bad move by Microsoft to include this as an "Update".

Like BritFox wrote in his post, this does not fix a "specific problem" with the OS, does not "improve" functionality in any way, and offers absolutely no benefits as far as the end user is concerned. The only entity to benefit from this, is Microsoft.

This isn't an "update". It should not be included as an optional update.

They can offer a download link in their website and clearly inform the users about the massive amounts of data this service will send back home to Microsoft ("This tracking service collects data about functional issues in Windows" -- is NOT a proper explanation of what kind of data it will collect. It does not inform users that it will collect every search query, every file he opens, every website he visits, his/her name, email address, preferences and interests, and pretty much every keystroke ).

If the user chooses to install it after reading it all, then fine.

It's NOT a typical update. It's NOT what an user expects to be installed by Windows Updates on a non-beta OS he/she has purchased. Users are "Consumers", not "non-paid software testers".

It's a sad day for us long-time Windows users. Windows is becoming the next Android. Microsoft is becoming the next Google. Very sad.

Hi.

At least some of you by now, will understand how the " NSA " gets what they need.

Regards.
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Anonymous

2015-05-13T13:40:15+00:00

PATCH TUESDAY !!!

The KB3022345 has morphed into a recommanded "important" update and selected by default !

While it's still the same "service"...

We are still waiting for more informations...

Didn't you "blacklist" the update when it was "optional"?

On my laptop, Windows installed 16 important updates this Tuesday, but KB3022345 was not included.

I double checked after reading your post, the service is not present in services.msc, and is not running in task manager. Uninstall it, check for updates immediately after uninstalling, Windows will show KB3022345 as available update again, blacklist it..

Microsoft, PLEASE stop installing trackers on our computers. Please.
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