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LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent

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Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent

#241

Post by VorpalWay »

tremon wrote: post #172
Saris wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh definitely, it's more a question of why Microsoft allows any 'driver utility' to have internet access or do anything outside of just configuring the hardware.

> why Microsoft allows any 'driver utility' to have internet access Firmware updates for devices are not a thing in your world?

There is no reason we need a badly coded vendor control panel to install firmware upgrades though. On Linux https://fwupd.org/ is a database for vendor firmware, and you use one shared open source took to install upgrades for all devices attached to your system.

Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent

#242

Post by MatejKafka »

coldtea wrote: post #164
joe_mamba wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I don't know what Microsoft is thinking even allowing and enabling this sort of thing This has been a feature since Windows 7, and it worked great since it would pull all necessary drivers after installation without you going hunting on the internet like in the Windows XP days. Just that no HW manufacturer thought to push spyware in their driver repos at that point to improve some team's KPIs.

> and it worked great since it would pull all necessary drivers after installation without you going hunting on the internet like in the Windows XP days. A driver shouldn't be a front-facing program that shows ads of any kind. It should be sandboxed and follow strict APIs to talk to the OS and that's it - any extra options should be shown inline in the main e.g. printer or mouse dialog.

How exactly do you propose to sandbox drivers running in kernel space? Do you even know how drivers work? (I'm guessing no, based on this comment)

Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent

#243

Post by MatejKafka »

globalnode wrote: post #194
Findecanor wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A few years ago, plugging in a Razer USB mouse made Windows download and run a installer from which the current user could start PowerShell with administrator privileges. Razer first tried to downplay the issue, but fixed it later. [1] The USB protocol does not have any authentication, just a VendorID/ProductID pair: 2×16 bits that Windows uses for looking up the driver package to install. Programming a MCU to use an…

not a usb programmer, but are you saying i can buy any old usb chip and program it with any vendors ID and spoof windows into giving me admin? if so, gj micrcosoft.

You can "spoof" any system where you can load older drivers into giving you admin/root, you just need to find a vulnerable driver. Nothing Windows-specific in that.

Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent

#244

Post by VorpalWay »

AlienRobot wrote: post #120
Someone1234 wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Worth noting that gpedit.msc isn't included in Windows Home editions (although there are unsupported ways of adding it). This is also technically asking a lot for working around issues that shouldn't exist. Microsoft needs to intervene here, this cannot be a normal expectation for using their product.

Me on Windows 7: I don't want to use Linux, you have to keep configuring every single thing so it works. Me on Linux: I don't want to use Windows, you have to keep configuring every single thing so it doesn't show ads.

Linux usability has come a long way in recent years. I switched full time to Linux in 2006, but I can absolutely understand those who wouldn't back then.

These days? Unless there is a specific piece of software that can't run on Linux (or under Wine), and there is no suitable replacement for it? Yeah I don't know why you would voluntarily stay on Windows (note voluntarily, if IT policy says you must that doesn't count).

Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent

#245

Post by ImPostingOnHN »

throw0101a wrote: post #143
delta_p_delta_x wrote: post #6

Workaround: gpedit.msc Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Device Installation Prevent automatic download of applications associated with device metadata Set to enabled OK On home editions sans gpedit.msc: sysdm.cpl Hardware tab Click Device Installation Settings Under 'Do you want to automatically download manufacturers' apps for your devices?', select 'No' Save Changes

> On home editions sans gpedit.msc: I've managed to generally avoid running Windows (at home and at work) for a long time now, but if there was a situation where I needed to get a PC (at home?), is there a recommended least-sucky way of living with? Are there editions or scripts or a setup workflow that would make it suck less?

Yes, Windows LTSC is an edition without as much crap.

Haven't used it lately (over 2 decades with linux as daily driver), so can't personally vouch for it.

Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent

#246

Post by pseudalopex »

phikappa wrote: post #182
Geezus_42 wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Much like your own, and this one!

I wonder if this ritual of meta-self-policing serves some particular purpose or if it's just a case of the brain drawing comfort from going through a familiar ritual. "This comment adds nothing" is like the reverse amen in church of our days.

The purpose was to discourage comments which added nothing I thought.

Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent

#247

Post by MatejKafka »

sigio wrote: post #36
devttyeu wrote: post #20

This is so much worse that the title makes it out to be: 1. Your OS installs malware (technically manufacturers software) from a 3rd party vendor in background, zero user interaction 2. Happens as soon as you or anyone with physical access plug in a device into the HDMI port 3. That malware has internet and full system access, no sandboxing 4. It starts with every system boot 5. This software gets installed when you…

I can only conclude that Windows is basically malware now... Thank $deity I haven't used any form of Windows for 10+ years anymore.

How it it a Windows issue that driver developers pack garbage with their drivers? If Linux supported loading 3rd party drivers (it mostly doesn't, and if Windows did that, the whole internet would be up in arms about Microsoft locking down their OS), it would have exactly the same issues.

This is basically the same as downloading a program, running it and when it downloads garbage on your computer, complaining that Windows are dumb for allowing a program to download garbage.

Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent

#248

Post by tbrake »

solarkraft wrote: post #202
stego-tech wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This. Microsoft has chosen to allow this functionality, despite it being a very clear breach of trust with customers. LG/Dell/et al should be shamed and blamed for even trying this shit in the first place, but it’s Microsoft who holds the blame for allowing such malware and spyware trash through their own update service.

You’re acting like Microsoft aren’t pushing malware themselves.

That's just a parallel fact, no one's "acting" like anything?

What were you actually trying to say?

Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent

#249

Post by DrJaws »

devttyeu wrote: post #20

This is so much worse that the title makes it out to be: 1. Your OS installs malware (technically manufacturers software) from a 3rd party vendor in background, zero user interaction 2. Happens as soon as you or anyone with physical access plug in a device into the HDMI port 3. That malware has internet and full system access, no sandboxing 4. It starts with every system boot 5. This software gets installed when you…

this has happened to me with dell monitors since years ago, also with razer peripherals.

Re: LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent

#250

Post by MaxL93 »

rkourdis wrote: post #219
delta_p_delta_x wrote: post #6

Workaround: gpedit.msc Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Device Installation Prevent automatic download of applications associated with device metadata Set to enabled OK On home editions sans gpedit.msc: sysdm.cpl Hardware tab Click Device Installation Settings Under 'Do you want to automatically download manufacturers' apps for your devices?', select 'No' Save Changes

I had a mouse that would keep on installing its driver when plugged in, even with this setting off. I remember Windows keeping a cache of autodownloaded drivers ("Driver Store") and reinstalling them when the device is plugged in, so the mouse bloatware kept on coming back. Is this still the case?

You have to add keys under:

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions

The keys I have right now are all REG_SZ (strings), and in order of "1" through "5", are:

---

1. SWC\VEN_DELL&DEV_AWCC

2. SWC\VID_DELL&PID_AWCC

3. SWC\Alienware_Command_Center

4. SWC\AWCC

5. SWC\VID001&PID0001&AWCCWINUI3APP

---

Nothing short of this prevented "Alienware Command Center" (AWCC.exe) from pushing itself onto my machine because of my Alienware OLED monitor.

I should note it's possible to shoot yourself in the foot there; I had entries 6, 7, and 8 blocking SWC\Generic, SWD\GenericRaw, and SWD\Generic — and that prevented Audio Endpoints from being mounted...

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