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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

#581

Post by guax »

mfro wrote: post #356

Fun fact, Gigabyte motherboards do the same thing. Thankfully they give you an option to disable it in BIOS.

Jeez, I had to search because this is baffling to me but alas, there it is:

> Gigabyte's UEFI firmware leverages WPBT to drop an executable—specifically GigabyteUpdateService.exe—into the Windows %SystemRoot%\system32\ directory during the early stages of the boot process. This executable automatically connects to the internet to download and install Gigabyte's auto-update application, often referred to as the "APP Center".

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

#582

Post by fooker »

robin_reala wrote: post #195
fooker wrote: post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're missing out on 37 different unrelated things being named copilot.

81, not 37: https://teybannerman.com/strategy/2026/03/31/how-many-micros...

Hah this article is from April. I'm sure the number has only gone up.

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

#583

Post by globular-toast »

Stop using software you don't control. This will never stop until you end the abusive relationship. Switch to Linux today. I did it more than 15 years ago and never looked back. Reject proprietary software that puts someone else in control of your life.

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

#584

Post by globular-toast »

timpera wrote: post #336
inigyou wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your OS is malware, if it's Windows.

Windows may not be the best OS for you but it definitely isn't malware.

Windows today would have been considered malware in the 90s. This frog hasn't been boiled.

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

#585

Post by bigstrat2003 »

kay_o wrote: post #469
prmoustache wrote: post #459

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do you do to your mouses to make them fail so quickly? Are you throwing them randomly accross the room?

They just fail. Particularly the office mice don't last very long for gaming (orders of magnitude more travel and clicks)

I use an MX Master for gaming and it's been going strong for years.

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

#586

Post by hedora »

mcv wrote: post #474
thewebguyd wrote: post #344

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but aren't even using it to block these contraptions Even worse, this one is installed via Windows update. I have an LG monitor and noticed the stupid LG app all of the sudden, uninstalled it, and saw it pop up again as an update in Windows update. Microsoft is actively enabling this behavior.

I don't understand how this is legal. Isn't this malware? Isn't it illegal to install malware on someone's computer without their permission? Or is this very illegal, but nobody cares about that anymore?

Tou probably agreed to this when you broke the seal on the box that contained the monitor and a copy of the agreement you just agreed to.

If you think that’s bad, don’t ask what you agreed to by reading this comment.

I miss the days when contracts required two-party consent, or at least “meeting of the minds” / negotiations.

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

#587

Post by hedora »

OsrsNeedsf2P wrote: post #562
Grombobulous wrote: post #184

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is getting technical enough that you might as well install Linux if you figure out how to do this. In other words, we all know that regular consumers will never find this and they’ll never understand that their LG software is spyware in the first place.

I would much rather follow these steps than spend days tinkering with a Linux distro

Then just install linux, and don’t tinker with it.

The last desktop I bought took under an hour from linux install usb stick boot to steam installing my library of windows games.

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

#588

Post by RajT88 »

mcv wrote: post #474
thewebguyd wrote: post #344

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but aren't even using it to block these contraptions Even worse, this one is installed via Windows update. I have an LG monitor and noticed the stupid LG app all of the sudden, uninstalled it, and saw it pop up again as an update in Windows update. Microsoft is actively enabling this behavior.

I don't understand how this is legal. Isn't this malware? Isn't it illegal to install malware on someone's computer without their permission? Or is this very illegal, but nobody cares about that anymore?

It is legal by default. The question is: why isn't it illegal?

Some quick searching suggests this scenario hasn't been tested in the courts. Like most things, you have to take it to the federal courts and establish case law, OR pass a law (good luck).

It shouldn't be allowed. Microsoft shouldn't allow this, but they do, because they like having revenue from business partners.

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

#589

Post by hedora »

Hizonner wrote: post #240
gkbrk wrote: post #109

A monitor cannot install software on your computer by the way. It's Windows installing this software automatically (for some reason), so the blame should be on Microsoft. Autorun of malware when you plugged in a USB drive was also a Windows issue, I'd classify this as the same security problem.

Actually it frequently can, since a modern monitor is often on USB and in a position to impersonate a keyboard and/or mouse. I wouldn't put it past most of these companies.

Not sure if it was an LLM hallucination, but I was looking for a wifi dongle for linux. Apparently some of them now present as an autorun usb disk until the driver they auto install sends some magic unlock handshake.

So, I avoided those.

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

#590

Post by hedora »

wao0uuno wrote: post #580
nottorp wrote: post #215

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Gaming as a whole is dead for me There are millions of indies out there. Some are worth the time. It's a bit of a problem to figure out which though. > Haven't played online multiplayer games since ~2013 I don't think there are any non predatory online multiplayer games since 2013 :) And there are many online multiplayer games that would have been really good as single player.

Most of the best games I have ever played are either indies or Nintendo games. Feels like independent developers and sometimes Nintendo are the only ones still trying to make fun games with original ideas while the rest of the industry has shifted its focus entirely towards cookie cutter slop and lazy remasters.

I just bought a pile of excellent, recent-ish games for an average of Some were remakes/successors to excellent ps2 titles from big studios, but there were multiple new genres of games (to me, at least) from indie studios. No multiplayer bullshit or predatory dark patterns so far. I didn’t check carefully, but I don’t think any of them were released before 2020.
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