How To Stop Windows OS From Spying On You

[ Originally published on September 3rd, 2015 ]

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With the recent release of Microsoft’s Windows 10 OS [operating system], the company’s spying tactics have been brought to light.

According to Jim Stone Freelance, Microsoft has been secretly spying on their users every since the Windows 95 iteration of their popular OS.

According to Microsoft’s End-User License Agreement for their software:

“You agree that Microsoft and its affiliates may collect and use [all of the] technical information [which we have] gathered as part of the product support services [that we have] provided to you ... [which are] related to the Software.”

“... we will access, disclose and preserve [your] personal data, including your content [such as the content of your emails, other private communications or files in private folders] ...”

Windows tracks and uploads users’ private data to Microsoft’s servers. This should be a major privacy concern for users, especially since Microsoft is notorious for selling such data to government spy and intelligence agencies across the globe.

HOW TO STAY AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE WHILE USING WINDOWS:

1) Un-install updates which are used to track and store your data:

In previous versions of Windows, Microsoft has allowed users to turn off automatic updates to the OS. In Windows 10, however, users are forced to accept automatic updates. Here are some less-than-desirable updates that you should un-install immediately:

► KB3022345 [Adds the Diagnostics and Telemetry tracking service to in-market devices]

► KB3068708 [Introduces the Diagnostics and Telemetry tracking service to existing devices]

► KB3075249 [Adds telemetry points to the User Account Control feature in order to collect data on elevations that come from low integrity levels]

► KB3080149 [Updates the Diagnostics and Telemetry tracking service to existing devices]

► KB2505438 [Updates the DirectWrite API and Internet Explorer 9 in Windows 7 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1]

► KB2670838 [Updates Direct2D, DirectWrite, Direct3D, Windows Imaging Component (WIC), Windows Advanced Rasterization Platform (WARP), Windows Animation Manager (WAM), XPS Document API, H.264 Video Decoder and the JPEG XR codec in Windows 7 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1]

► KB2952664 [Evaluates the compatibility status of the Windows 7 ecosystem by sending Microsoft updates about your system activities]

► KB2976978 [Evaluates the compatibility status of the Windows 8.1 ecosystem by sending Microsoft updates about your system activities]

► KB3021917 [Performs diagnostics in Windows 7 Service Pack 1 and sends telemetry back to Microsoft]

► KB3035583 [Automatically updates Windows 7 and Windows 8 to Windows 10]

You can un-install these updates by opening an elevated command prompt and typing in the following codes, one-by-one, then pressing the [ENTER] key:

wusa/uninstall/kb:3022345/quiet/norestart

wusa/uninstall/kb:3068708/quiet/norestart

wusa/uninstall /kb:3075249/quiet /norestart

wusa/uninstall /kb:3080149/quiet /norestart

wusa/uninstall /kb:2505438/quiet/norestart

wusa/uninstall /kb:2670838/quiet/norestart

wusa/uninstall /kb:2952664/quiet/norestart

wusa/uninstall /kb:2976978/quiet/norestart

wusa/uninstall /kb:3021917/quiet/norestart

wusa/uninstall/kb:3035583/quiet/norestart

2) Routinely run security scans:

Regularly running security scans for viruses, spyware and malware is an important step in keeping your computer running safely and smoothly. There are a plethora of free programs at your disposal, such as:

► Avast [Anti-virus, anti-malware & web browser security]

► AVG [Anti-virus, anti-spyware, URL protection & email protection]

► DETEKT [Scans for and removes Revision Control System code]

► KL-Detector [Scans for key-logging software]

► SpyBot [Anti-spyware]

3) Permanently delete unwanted data and files:

Believe it or not, it IS possible to recover and retrieve files after they have been deleted. However, there are free programs which you can use to ensure that they cannot be recovered, such as:

► Eraser [Removes sensitive data from hard drives by overwriting it several times with carefully selected patterns]

► Free Internet Window Washer [Erases tracks left behind after browsing the internet, computer activity and program history and securely erases and cleans deleted data from your hard drive]

► Piriform CCleaner [Finds and deletes unnecessary files]

4) Encrypt and hide your files:

In case your data is stolen, make it hard as hell for them to read it. There are free programs which you can use to encrypt and hide your files, such as:

► 96Crypt [Encrypt your files using passwords, block cyphers, steganographic functions and collision-resistant HMAC-HASH algorithms]