Microsoft's Software is Malware

[Batu69]

Malware means software designed to function in ways that mistreat or harm the user. (This does not include accidental errors.) This page explains how Microsoft software is malware.

Malware and nonfree software are two different issues. The difference between free software and nonfree software is in whether the users have control of the program or vice versa. It's not directly a question of what the program does when it runs. However, in practice nonfree software is often malware, because the developer's awareness that the users would be powerless to fix any malicious functionalities tempts the developer to impose some.

Type of malware

• Back doors
• Sabotage
• Surveillance
• Digital restrictions management or “DRM” means functionalities designed to restrict what users can do with the data in their computers.
• Jails—systems that impose censorship on application programs.
• Tyrants—systems that reject any operating system not “authorized” by the manufacturer.

Microsoft Back Doors

• Microsoft Windows has a universal back door through which any change whatsoever can be imposed on the users.
  

  More information on when this was used.

  In Windows 10, the universal back door is no longer hidden; all “upgrades” will be forcibly and immediately imposed.Windows 8 also has a back door for remotely deleting apps.

• You might well decide to let a security service that you trust remotely deactivate programs that it considers malicious. But there is no excuse for deleting the programs, and you should have the right to decide who (if anyone) to trust in this way.

• Windows 8's back doors are so gaping that the German government has decided it can't be trusted.

Microsoft Sabotage

The wrongs in this section are not precisely malware, since they do not involve making the program that runs in a way that hurts the user. But they are a lot like malware, since they are technical Microsoft actions that harm to the users of specific Microsoft software.

• Microsoft is repeatedly nagging many users to install Windows 10.
• Microsoft informs the NSA of bugs in Windows before fixing them.
• Microsoft cut off security fixes for Windows XP, except to some big users that pay exorbitantly.
• Microsoft is going to cut off support for some Internet Explorer versions in the same way.
• A person or company has the right to cease to work on a particular program; the wrong here is Microsoft does this after having made the users dependent on Microsoft, because they are not free to ask anyone else to work on the program for them.

Microsoft Surveillance

• Windows 10 ships with default settings that show no regard for the privacy of its users, giving Microsoft the “right” to snoop on the users' files, text input, voice input, location info, contacts, calendar records and web browsing history, as well as automatically connecting the machines to open hotspots and showing targeted ads.
• Windows 10 sends identifiable information to Microsoft, even if a user turns off its Bing search and Cortana features, and activates the privacy-protection settings.
• Microsoft uses Windows 10's “privacy policy” to overtly impose a “right” to look at users' files at any time. Windows 10 full disk encryption gives Microsoft a key.
• Thus, Windows is overt malware in regard to surveillance, as in other issues.
• We can suppose Microsoft look at users' files for the US government on demand, though the “privacy policy” does not explicit say so. Will it look at users' files for the Chinese government on demand?
• The unique “advertising ID” for each user enables other companies to track the browsing of each specific user.
• It's as if Microsoft has deliberately chosen to make Windows 10 maximally evil on every dimension; to make a grab for total power over anyone that doesn't drop Windows now.
• Windows 10 requires users to give permission for total snooping, including their files, their commands, their text input, and their voice input.
• Spyware in Windows: Windows Update snoops on the user. Windows 8.1 snoops on local searches. And there's a secret NSA key in Windows, whose functions we don't know.
• Microsoft SkyDrive allows the NSA to directly examine users' data.

Microsoft DRM

• DRM (digital restrictions mechanisms) in Windows, introduced to cater to Bluray disks. (The article also talks about how the same malware would later be introduced in MacOS.)

Microsoft Jails

• Windows 8 on “mobile devices” is a jail: it censors the user's choice of application programs.

Microsoft Tyrants

• Mobile devices that come with Windows 8 are tyrants: they block users from installing other or modified operating systems.

As this page shows, if you do want to clean your computer of malware, the first software to delete is Windows.

Article source

[Holmes]

Add this one to the list of negative nancy articles (then again this article takes the cake with all the negative nancy articles). I think users of this forum get it dont get windows ten yet calling windows ten malware wouldn't go that far.

[Pequi]

Definition of Malware (Wiki):

Malware, short for malicious software, is any software used to disrupt computer operations, gather sensitive information, or gain access to private computer systems. Malware is defined by its malicious intent, acting against the requirements of the computer user, and does not include software that causes unintentional harm due to some deficiency.

"Gather sensitive information" . Check

"Gain access to private computer systems" . Check

I would not include "disrupt computer operations", as that has always been one of Window's unintentional "features"

:)

My next big PC upgrade will receive Linux (probably Debian) with XP running in a VirtualBox.

[SnakeMasteR]

Add this one to the list of negative nancy articles (then again this article takes the cake with all the negative nancy articles). I think users of this forum get it dont get windows ten yet calling windows ten malware wouldn't go that far.

You know who or what GNU is? Guess not. To understand articles like this you need to understand the philosophy behind their presence, they may be longer present than you have your internet.

They are definitely not some randoms that fap on clickbait articles... they don't need anyone's clicks or Gill Bates wrath.

Being negative about it is a matter of perspective, some people don't give a sh1t, others do. Your own perspective doesn't invalidate the other and that you are tired of it, is your own fault.

There are people that care, actually and that is not as easy as consuming everything blindly that's been served to you, it's not even hard, everyone can consume and not giving a sh1t.

[Holmes]

Answering the question for me not sensible why? you dont know me to make that decision about me with that in mind your attempt at justifying negativity is a fail I know the definition of malware and windows can be regarded as spyware possibly thats it malware no join the hate windows ten campaign you qualify for it that and possibly being a troll. For your information I know what GNU is and yes the author is a negative nancy the author not the messenger.

One part about them saying some personal information can be received its encrypted so we cant see it doo they have a system in place for it sii stateful information inspection similiar to a spi firewall stateful packet inspection that checks to see if the information they dont need is not encrypted and the infoormation they do need is not. I know its encrypted being transmitted through the network and when it gets to microsoft servers its decrypted we have to take there word for it that if they receive information that is private they discard it. I dont see them coollecting a stash of personal information from users what would they have to gain from doing that sell it to third parties to make money they are going too make twice that selling the operating system and all there devices.

[asf]

Rant rant rant and keep ranting, if you don't like it don't use it.

My little opinion.

ASF

[smallhagrid]

Is Windows a virus ?

With the recent problems being encountered by Windows users all across the country, people are begin to ask themselves if windows is a virus.

In response to the high demand for an answer to that question a study was done and concluded the following:

1. Viruses replicate quickly.

Windows does this.

2. Viruses use up valuable system resources, slowing down the system as they do so.

Windows does this.

3. Viruses will, from time to time, trash your hard disk.

Windows does this.

4. Viruses are usually carried, unkown to the user, along with valuable programs and systems.

Windows does that too.

5. Viruses will occasionally make the user suspect their system is too slow (see 2) and the user will buy new hardware.

Same with Windows, yet again.

Maybe Windows really is a virus then ?

Nope! There is a difference !

Viruses are well supported by their authors, are frequently updated, and tend to become more sophisticated as they mature.

So there ! Windows is not a virus.

(It just mostly does all the same stuff...)

[Holmes]

That was funny as hell and ok smartass lawls.