Home Upgrade Search Memberlist Extras Hacker Tools Award Goals Help Wiki Contact

Microsoft's new, data stealing, privacy policy in Windows 10 and how to bypass it

Hello,

I'm sure the biggest part of the readers will already know this, but Microsoft changed their privacy terms in Windows 10 (hence why everyone can update to it for free). They are now allowed to record your voice, take pictures with your webcam , see what you type (yes, keylogger like), what pages you visit etc. and send it over to them for 'investigation', lel.

Hereby I post a small list, which you should start following at the installation part, which will help you to increase your privacy.

Before/During Installation
  • Do not use Express Settings. Hit Customize, and make sure everything is turned off.

  • It's strongly preferred that you use a local account with Windows 10.


After Installation
  • Head to Settings > Privacy, and disable everything, unless there are some things you really need.

  • While within the Privacy page, go to Feedback, select Never in the first box, and Basic in the second box.

  • Head to Settings > Update and Security > Advanced Options > Choose how updates are delivered, and turn the first switch off.

  • Disable Cortana by clicking the Search bar/icon.

  • (Optional) Disable web search in Search by going to Settings, and turning off Search online and include web results.

  • Change the name of your PC by going to Start (or hitting the Windows key), typing About PC, and clicking Rename PC.


Slightly Complex
  • Open up the Command Prompt by launching cmd as an administrator, and enter the following:
    sc delete DiagTrack
    sc delete dmwappushservice
    echo "" > C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Diagnosis\ETLLogs\AutoLogger\AutoLogger-Diagtrack-Listener.etl

  • FOR PRO AND ENTERPRISE USERS:

  • Open up the Group Policy Editor by launching gpedit.msc as an administrator. Go through Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Data Collection and Preview Builds. Double click Telemetry, hit Disabled, then apply. NOTE: This only truly works in the Enterprise edition, but the final step provides a decent enough workaround for Pro users.

  • While still in the Group Policy Editor, go through Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > OneDrive, double click Prevent the usage of OneDrive for file storage, hit Enabled, then apply.

  • While still in the Group Policy Editor, go through Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender, double click Turn Off Windows Defender, hit Enabled, then apply.

  • FOR HOME etc. USERS:

  • HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection, find the key 'AllowTelemetry' and put it on 0. (also check HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\)

  • HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\OneDrive, find the key 'DisableFileSyncNGSC' and put it on 1. (also check HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\)

  • HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender, find the key 'DisableAntiSpyware' and put it on 1. (also check HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\)

  • FOR ALL VERSIONS AGAIN:

  • Open up the Registry Editor by launching regedit as an administrator. Go through
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\DataCollection, select AllowTelemetry, change its value to 0, then apply.

  • First, download the Take Ownership tweak and enable it. Then, head to the Hosts File by going through C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\Etc, take ownership of the hosts file, and add all of the IPs from this page into the file.


Up To You
  • Replace Microsoft Edge/Internet Explorer with Firefox, Chromium, or any forks/variations of them.

  • Replace Windows Media Player with VLC or MPC-HC

  • Replace Groove Music with Foobar2000, Winamp, or MusicBee.

  • Replace Photos/Windows Photo Viewer with ImageGlass or IrfanView.



I take no credit for the list, I just wanted it to share it with you. You can find the orignal post here
Added solution for Home users who don't have the Group Policy Editor, resources taken from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download...x?id=25250
FR1908
You should explain what some of this stuff does. It's not a good idea to follow random unexplained instructions.
(Jul 31, 2015 11:27 AM)webdev77 Wrote:  You should explain what some of this stuff does. It's not a good idea to follow random unexplained instructions.

It will prevent your Windows from sending data to Microsoft. Also, I didn't make this list I just wanted to share it with HF. And to be honest I think most of the thinks make sense and if one really doesn't know it there is always Google to tell you :)
FR1908
Posting for future reference. Thanks.
Thanks a lot for sharing this. I'm very sure it helped out lots of people. You sure helped out me.
Lol I hope this is a joke... You guys are so paranoid over nothing.

[img]http://www.troll.me/images/ancient-aliens-guy/have-you-seen-my-tin-foil-hat.jpg[/img]
(Jul 31, 2015 11:42 AM)Skorn Virus Wrote:  Lol I hope this is a joke... You guys are so paranoid over nothing.

Oh sure, I'd like to be keylogged by the biggest company in the world who will probably sell the data to anyone who asks for it.
FR1908
If you're that paranoid go reinstall windows 7, or get linux.

I highly doubt Microsoft would be dumb enough to sell it keylogs..
And I'm pretty sure that 'keylogger' was only in place during
the trial installs, more than sure it's removed in the release version.
(Jul 31, 2015 11:48 AM)The-One Wrote:  Oh sure, I'd like to be keylogged by the biggest company in the world who will probably sell the data to anyone who asks for it.

Lol because you are such a huge hacker than being tracked by MS is going to land you into some big trouble? RIGGGGGHT..

There not going to report you messing around in Visual studio or MS paint. Or most certainly not you watching porn.. 🤣

*Hands you tin foil hat
(Jul 31, 2015 11:51 AM)SIM-1166170 Wrote:  If you're that paranoid go reinstall windows 7, or get linux.

I highly doubt Microsoft would be dumb enough to sell it keylogs..
And I'm pretty sure that 'keylogger' was only in place during
the trial installs, more than sure it's removed in the release version.
The files and services weren't removed in the release version, so yes, it is still there.


(Jul 31, 2015 11:53 AM)Skorn Virus Wrote:  Lol because you are such a huge hacker than being tracked by MS is going to land you into some big trouble? RIGGGGGHT..

There not going to report you messing around in Visual studio or MS paint. Or most certainly not you watching porn.. 🤣

*Hands you tin foil hat

Its actually called privacy. I don't force you to take the following steps, its a choice. I don't want people to have random pictures and voice recordings let alone keystroke logs of me, if you do, than that's fine.
FR1908
(Jul 31, 2015 11:51 AM)SIM-1166170 Wrote:  If you're that paranoid go reinstall windows 7, or get linux.

I highly doubt Microsoft would be dumb enough to sell it keylogs..
And I'm pretty sure that 'keylogger' was only in place during
the trial installs, more than sure it's removed in the release version.

[Image: b7776e9c401a5477ef8679d0b284da1a.png]

Nope.
Posting for my future reference, thanks bro!
(Jul 31, 2015 11:51 AM)SIM-1166170 Wrote:  If you're that paranoid go reinstall windows 7, or get linux.

I highly doubt Microsoft would be dumb enough to sell it keylogs..
And I'm pretty sure that 'keylogger' was only in place during
the trial installs, more than sure it's removed in the release version.

Did you not read the settings? "Send typing and inking data to Microsoft to improve the recognition and suggestion platform"
(Jul 31, 2015 11:53 AM)The-One Wrote:  The files and services weren't removed in the release version, so yes, it is still there.



Its actually called privacy. I don't force you to take the following steps, its a choice. I don't want people to have random pictures and voice recordings let alone keystroke logs of me, if you do, than that's fine.

*Privacy

You're aware that you live in the year of 2015 where technology pretty much runs everyones daily lives? If you still believe you have "privacy" then I'm just going to stop right now and laugh very hard.
(Jul 31, 2015 11:56 AM)Adverse Wrote:  Did you not read the settings? "Send typing and inking data to Microsoft to improve the recognition and suggestion platform"

It's hard to read the settings when I'm using a 8.1 laptop currently, lmao
I guess it still is keylogged, I'm not updating.


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread / Author Replies Views Last Post
by CNiC84Jul 23, 2022 12:13 PM 0 150 Jul 23, 2022 12:13 PM
Last Post: CNiC84
by SIM-5184199Jul 5, 2022 04:40 PM 2 211 Jul 5, 2022 04:40 PM
Last Post: SIM-5184199
by BlazinSep 5, 2020 10:39 PM 11 181 Sep 5, 2020 10:39 PM
Last Post: ETH