A tool for managing user identities, credentials, and access across on-premises and cloud environments
How to remove CoPilot, Edge, OneDisk and requirement of 4 digit pin?
I'm software developer with over 40 years in the industry including time spent working with the defense department in Specially Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIFs). I qualify as an expert on security.
I've also had training in contract law.
For reasons I will explain later, I don't want any of these "features" on my system. Others may find them desirable, but I do not.
When can we expect to see a simple, one click with confirmation, option to remove all these products from our systems if we do not want them?
Basis:
Every security advisor I know advises "never use the same credentials to access multiple sources" because if they crack one of them, they crack all of them. Yes, it is infinitely more convenient, but our desire for convenience is how criminals breach our security.
They also advise using long random passwords. I use ones over 20 characters with about 65 possibilities per character which is a bout 65^20 possibilities. That's more difficult to crack than the Enigma machine, but they can be cracked today - given enough processing power. By using multiples, the "bad guys" must repeat the process, independently on every device/system.
Microsoft's new policy of REQUIRING us to use 4 digit pins (assuming your machine has no camera or thumb scanner, like my workstation) forces customers to violate two of the most fundamental rules of modern security.
My Microsoft account and my local system account MUST have long passwords and they MUST be different.
This morning my freshly installed Windows 11 system was almost totally nonresponsive, so I turned on task manager (which took several seconds to start). The two processes which were using most of my disk resources were - Edge and OneDrive.
I NEVER use Edge or OneDrive because of Microsoft's disregard of good computer security policies, yet there they were using up system resources. I have no idea what they were copying from my system, which contains patents, advice to politicians and global security advisors, to Microsoft's storage system without my permission, but I'm going to go stop that, when I'm done writing this.
As far as CoPilot, for nonreligious, personal reasons I refuse to work on or with two types of technology under any circumstances WMDs and AI. Reference this Brookings, and other, reports - https://www.brookings.edu/articles/weapons-of-the-weak-russia-and-ai-driven-asymmetric-warfare/ When there are severe, criminal laws for those who abuse AI and displaced worker fees for humans who lose their jobs due to AI, I will be more willing to participate in AI, but not until then. When those legal safeguards in place, I will be investing in anti-AI systems to defend us from criminals using AI against the innocent.
Right now, I require access to Microsoft products to earn money, to feed myself and my employees to survive. I also have the right to not allow these products, which are detrimental to my and my staff's security, and national and global security, on my hardware.
I know that by using the software I accepted the user agreements. I also know that any contract entered into under duress is inherently nonbinding. While the current bar for duress is the "gun to the head" standard, I am working with representatives in congress to modernize that bar to include "denial of access to work to earn money to feed ourselves and get healthcare."
As long as it is possible to disable and remove these Microsoft products which violate my security and my rights - I will continue to make every effort to remove them, no matter how inconvenient, and I advise other users to do the same.
Back to the initial question:
When can we expect to see a simple, one click with confirmation, option to remove all these products from our systems if we choose to without crippling our MS Windows OS?
When can we expect to see Microsoft change its policies to put it's users security and rights at higher priority than theirs and their shareholders?
I've been ready to move to Linux for years and maintain a Linux dual boot, but there are business products which only Microsoft provides and I require access to those to be competitive. I'm about ready to suffer being one of the homeless over complying with Microsoft's policies. I'm probably not alone.
It would be wise for Microsoft to listen to the minority of its customers who feel as I do and change your policies to support our needs.