The updates in question are KB3075249 and KB3080149. if installed, these updates are known to report your data back to Microsoft servers, without user interaction. KB3075249 Microsoft Update adds telemetry points to ‘consent.exe’ in Windows 7, 8 and 8.1, allowing for remote monitoring of everything that happens within the operating system. KB3080149 ensures that all “down-level devices” receive the same updates and treatment as Windows 10 boxes get.
As you would guess, forums are lit up with speculation on these updates and more. Below you can find a list of other Windows updates that some users have questioned. Please keep in mind, avoiding some or all of these updates may cause your environment to be unstable and/or unsecure.
KB2505438KB2670838 – Windows 7 Only (corrupts AERO and blurry fonts on some websites)KB2952664KB2976978 – Windows 8 onlyKB3021917KB3035583KB3075249KB3035583 – this gives you the windows 10 inviteKB2952664 – prepares system for upgrade to Windows 10 (sends a bunch of telemetry data to M$, reported to corrupt system files)KB2976978 – prepares system for upgrade to Windows 10KB2977759 – prepares system for upgrade to Windows 10, installs telemetryKB2990214 – prepares system for upgrade to Windows 10KB3021917 – prepares system for upgrade to Windows 10KB3022345 – installs diagnostic tracking service, reported to corrupt system filesKB3035583 – pitches the free Windows 10 upgradeKB3044374 – prepares system for upgrade to Windows 10KB3050265 – supposedly fixes an issue with windows update, but also changes system files to support upgrade to Windows 10KB3050267 – prepares system for upgrade to Windows 10KB3068708 – installs telemetry service, prepares system for upgrade to Windows 10KB2922324 – (reportedly pulled, uninstall it anyway if already installed)KB3014460 – affects windows 8 onlyKB3015249 – adds more telemetryKB3065987 – makes “improvements” to the windows update client KB3075249 – adds yet more telemetryKB3075851 – makes “improvements” to the windows update client KB3080149 – adds yet more telemetry
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Updates Make Windows 7 and 8 Spy On You Like Windows 10
+52Helpful Webroot Links: Download (PC) | Download (Best Buy Subscription) | Submit Support Ticket | Account Console | User_Guides | BrightCloud URL lookup
+3Microsoft has a goal of bringing Windows 10 on a total of 1 billion devices by 2017, and in order to achieve this, the company knows that most, if not all of those on Windows 7 need to upgrade as soon as possible.
So to do this, Microsoft offered some patches prompting users to upgrade, and it turns out that the company has recently re-released these to make sure that, even if Windows 7 consumers blocked them, they still show up on their computers.
Woody Leonhard of InfoWorld writes that a total of six patches have been re-released, and these include not only updates that are supposed to encourage the upgrade to Windows 10 but also bulletins that were previously used to enable data collection on Windows 7.
http://news.softpedia.com/news/microsoft-re-issues-windows-7-updates-forcing-windows-10-upgrade-enabling-data-collection-494236.shtml
http://www.ghacks.net/2015/10/09/windows-10-patches-make-a-return-on-windows-7-and-8/
If you are running Windows 7 or 8 and don't want to upgrade to Windows 10, you are in constant battle with updates that Microsoft is pushing out to those systems that are often labeled compatibility updates but appear to be designed mainly for getting users to upgrade their systems to Windows 10 or adding snooping capabilities introduced in Windows 10 to previous versions of Windows.
One of Microsoft's goals in regards to Windows 10 is to get as many users as possible to upgrade to the new operating system. The company wants to get more than a billion devices running on Windows 10 in the coming years and one way of making sure that this is going to happen is through the free upgrade offer to Windows 10.
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