Windows 10 Test Version Comes With its Own Keylogger - Update

[RicoADF]

This is downright terrifying when you think about it.

The implications of a company as large as Microsoft thinking this was a smart move to make is rather unsettling, really.

Actually this is normal because it's test software, they need to be able to see what you were doing when a problem emerges. Eg: If your OS crashes when you try to load a file they want to know what your trying to load and with what software to narrow down the cause of the issue. Since people using it have agreed to being testers then there's no right to complain because that's what you've got the software for, to help Microsoft find the bugs.

I have Windows 10 on my laptop and I have no issues with this because, unlike some people it seems, I knew what I was signing on for.

Captcha: Watch me - Indeed I will.

Leaving the keylogger thing aside since thats likely just a beta version thing, it's the advert part that makes me raise my eyebrows. Is their intention to turn W10 into freakin' Xbox LIVE's UI? 'cuz no freaking thanks to that. The last thing I want is having to start grabbing addons from the net to block that sort of crap.

I haven't seen any ads in Windows 10 sofar, I would assume they mean in the store or something which I never visit.

 

[O maestre]

This is downright terrifying when you think about it.

The implications of a company as large as Microsoft thinking this was a smart move to make is rather unsettling, really.

It's a beta test dude, the whole point is finding errors before releasing the final product, so they need as much behavioural data as possible. I highly doubt the key logger or any of the other monitoring software. The whole point id to hunt bugs before they hit the market. This has been done before, I have no idea why it is making the news.

The only way I would be using the test version is if I installed it on a virtual machine without network.

Then what would be the point of the test version? The whole idea is for Microsoft to make last minute improvements before it reaches the market, how would a closed network machine help with that aim?

 

[Pinkamena]

I can accept this in a beta build made for testing. They need to collect data about how the system is working. However, if this makes it into the final version, that's enough to make me very skeptical about upgrading.

 

[Monsterfurby]

I can accept this in a beta build made for testing. They need to collect data about how the system is working. However, if this makes it into the final version, that's enough to make me very skeptical about upgrading.

It didn't in XP, nor in Vista, nor in 7, nor in 8.

It's a test version, and they are extremely clear about gathering data from it even on the download page itself.

 

[x EvilErmine x]

Key logger? Well it's a beta build, they need to see what you are doing in order to if any bugs that come up, so that's not a big surprise. It'd be a really big deal if it was in the retail OS but this is just the test build so not too worried about that...

Now...ad's...say what?! Microsoft why are there advertisements in my OS? What the absolute fuck is that about? I really don't care for them, not in my OS. You have proven you are incapable of making a desecrate advert (see X-box Live) so just NO!

If the Ad's are in the final product then I swear I'm going to learn how to program just so I can disable that crap.

 

[Arnoxthe1]

By agreeing to test-drive the latest version of Windows via Microsoft's Windows insider program

And this is all I needed to read to essentially dismiss the story. In other words: if you're beta-testing the OS, we have the right to see how you use it and what the hell you just did to fuck it up. You may know it better as "debugging." Knowing how people use an OS beyond simply what they told you is kind of important, because they will often miss critical details, or view a key event as minor when it may be determinate.

So, yeah, putting a keylogger and tracking coding in the beta is kind of a no-brainer. The real question is whether this is going to be in the final build. If it's in the final build, then you can start an uproar.

I'm really glad I read this before writing a rather stern post. Thanks for the info.

But those ads though... What?

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

By agreeing to test-drive the latest version of Windows via Microsoft's Windows insider program

And this is all I needed to read to essentially dismiss the story. In other words: if you're beta-testing the OS, we have the right to see how you use it and what the hell you just did to fuck it up. You may know it better as "debugging." Knowing how people use an OS beyond simply what they told you is kind of important, because they will often miss critical details, or view a key event as minor when it may be determinate.

So, yeah, putting a keylogger and tracking coding in the beta is kind of a no-brainer. The real question is whether this is going to be in the final build. If it's in the final build, then you can start an uproar.

I agree. This preview is not something that regular consumers should bother with anyway. It's mostly for IT experts and other businesses to prepare their systems for the release of the final product.

 

[Grumman]

To those who are defending this as being part and parcel of a beta: what makes this odious is the scope. If you're offering a beta of a game, recording inputs made to the game should mean you are only recording data that applies to the game /and only the game/. This is more like offering a beta version of a new version of Word where taking part in the beta grants Microsoft the right to read your slash fanfiction. Except it's even worse than that, because beta testing Windows doesn't just include your slash fanfiction but also your passwords /and/ your internet banking details /and/ a bunch of other stuff that really is none of Microsoft's business.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

To those who are defending this as being part and parcel of a beta: what makes this odious is the scope. If you're offering a beta of a game, recording inputs made to the game should mean you are only recording data that applies to the game /and only the game/. This is more like offering a beta version of a new version of Word where taking part in the beta grants Microsoft the right to read your slash fanfiction. Except it's even worse than that, because beta testing Windows doesn't just include your slash fanfiction but also your passwords /and/ your internet banking details /and/ a bunch of other stuff that really is none of Microsoft's business.

You can turn all this off, you know? Just create a local profile and check to see which tasks in Task Scheduler are sending information to Microsoft, then disable them.

 

[disappointed]

...they don't belong in the core of my premium priced OS.

And really, isn't it unsettling enough that Microsoft would know what things to advertise to you?

Well that's an interesting point: who said it would be a premium priced OS? Every other consumer OS is basically free now. The price of Windows has come down a lot over the years. I imagine they expect people to be less excited about buying Windows 10 off the shelf than has been the case in the past. They might well be looking at providing a free option this time, in order to maintain market share, in which case all this spyware would be what pays for it.

Microsoft has been in the advertising business for a long time, they've just been losing badly to Google. They already have some idea of what to sell you thanks to all your Bing searches... Oh yeah. Well do they have a popular product that could be used to mine ad data?

 

[Trippy Turtle]

Ehhhh.
Its not in Microsoft's best interests to go around hijacking my bank account, and I couldn't care less if they collect every fetish porn search query I try to put into google. Sure its not a positive, but I don't get why everyone gets so antsy about their privacy in situations like this. The same thing happened with kinect a while back. Its not like they are going to go and post all my dirty secrets everywhere. Sure they could. But why would they? And if they did who would care?
Don't get me wrong. Its definitely a little bit of a turn off for trying the test version. But I wouldn't lose any sleep if I had gone and used it for a while before being told about this.

 

[RicoADF]

As long as it doesn't show up in any ordinary programs or in the general UI then good. The last thing I want to deal with when doing my everday business is having to deal with ads. I get enough of that stuff on the internet.

If you'd like me to take screenshots for you I'd be happy to, just let me know what you want to see. That goes for everyone.

Key logger? Well it's a beta build, they need to see what you are doing in order to if any bugs that come up, so that's not a big surprise. It'd be a really big deal if it was in the retail OS but this is just the test build so not too worried about that...

Now...ad's...say what?! Microsoft why are there advertisements in my OS? What the absolute fuck is that about? I really don't care for them, not in my OS. You have proven you are incapable of making a desecrate advert (see X-box Live) so just NO!

If the Ad's are in the final product then I swear I'm going to learn how to program just so I can disable that crap.

There are no ads in the beta, atleast not in the OS itself. Only place I could think of is the store.

EDIT:
Taken the screenshot of the start menu, as you can see it's easily customisable and no ads are on the system. The only thing I hope they change is the ability to un pin the search button on the task bar and the ability to have live tiles in 1 collumn rather then the way they are now where they move themselves to where they want to be, gets really annoying can only have 1 tile because of it rather than 4 one under the other how I want it.

Spoiler: Screenshot

 

[Flames66]

Oh c'mon colour me a M$ fanboy if you will, but this is sensationalist journalism in a nutshell. It is a freaking beta test for an OS, naturally they are going to be collecting a huge amount of data in order to analyse, optimize and bugtest before release. The key to doing all this involves being able to recreate any errors that beta testers stumble upon.

I really think this article is reaching far to get a scandal. This is pretty much a non-story in my book. If this was part of the final product, then by all means raise hell and grill 'em, but this is just a e select group of people involved in a project voluntarily, and thus given their consent to having their behaviour. This is not a case of customers being fooled into accepting invasive spying by M$.

I just reread the article. Apart from some minor emotive language it seems more informative than sensational. I'm willing to bet that a large portion of the people signing up to this are not aware of the level of information retention a beta test involves.

Except it's even worse than that, because beta testing Windows doesn't just include your slash fanfiction but also your passwords /and/ your internet banking details /and/ a bunch of other stuff that really is none of Microsoft's business.

This is the reason that ill informed beta testers are at severe risk.

Don't get me wrong. Its definitely a little bit of a turn off for trying the test version. But I wouldn't lose any sleep if I had gone and used it for a while before being told about this.

That's fair enough, but a lot of people would lose sleep over it.

Now...ad's...say what?! Microsoft why are there advertisements in my OS? What the absolute fuck is that about? I really don't care for them, not in my OS. You have proven you are incapable of making a desecrate advert (see X-box Live) so just NO!

I agree, I do not have any interest in an operating system that comes pre-infected with adware.

 

[O maestre]

Oh c'mon colour me a M$ fanboy if you will, but this is sensationalist journalism in a nutshell. It is a freaking beta test for an OS, naturally they are going to be collecting a huge amount of data in order to analyse, optimize and bugtest before release. The key to doing all this involves being able to recreate any errors that beta testers stumble upon.

I really think this article is reaching far to get a scandal. This is pretty much a non-story in my book. If this was part of the final product, then by all means raise hell and grill 'em, but this is just a e select group of people involved in a project voluntarily, and thus given their consent to having their behaviour. This is not a case of customers being fooled into accepting invasive spying by M$.

I just reread the article. Apart from some minor emotive language it seems more informative than sensational. I'm willing to bet that a large portion of the people signing up to this are not aware of the level of information retention a beta test involves.

Then the people signing up for beta testing have thoroughly misunderstood and completely ignored the point of beta testing. It is not meant to give you a free preview and give you an exclusive experience. Primarily it is you doing a service to the company about letting them not only monitor your usage, but also assess how you interact with their product and any bugs you find. Notice the word find, as in actively searching the product for flaws. They are essentially volunteer workers. I am doubtful any beta testers would not be able to comprehend this.

As for your point that this article is not sensationalist. If it is not for the sake of needless scandal, then I don't see the point of the article. Microsoft has done this before on their other beta tests for previous OS's, and several other software manufacturers have similar procedures during the testing phase. This really shouldn't be news. Why is "business as usual" for software testing news? To me, the way the article frames the keylogging as something that is morally questionable, when it is just a tool for testing, why else would there be an article about this?


I'd understand if the product had been shipped and that M$ were actually keylogging paying customers, now that would indeed be morally reprehensible and worth an actual article.

 

[ThreeKneeNick]

The only thing that sounds useful in a beta is the part about which application is used to open a file and how long it took and how long it was used. Everything else is a blatant invasion for the purpose of selling ads and building databases who knows who will use.

I'll stay on 7. Didn't they also try to pull this with the always-on kinect? I'll never trust them.

 

[Grumman]

Then the people signing up for beta testing have thoroughly misunderstood and completely ignored the point of beta testing. It is not meant to give you a free preview and give you an exclusive experience. Primarily it is you doing a service to the company about letting them not only monitor your usage, but also assess how you interact with their product and any bugs you find. Notice the word find, as in actively searching the product for flaws. They are essentially volunteer workers. I am doubtful any beta testers would not be able to comprehend this.

When I have beta tested products, I have always self-reported. Never has a condition of helping a game designer improve their game been to let them record video inside of my home, or to install spyware on my computer.

 

[Vigormortis]

snip

I think it's a bit dangerous to dismiss the notion of ads built directly into the core of an OS as something that's "just the way it is". Especially when they're free from end-user control.

And the price for Windows hasn't really come down all that much over the last decade. I paid $100 for XP, $100 for Vista, and $100 for 7.

But even if their plan is to release Windows 10 as a free platform, that still doesn't excuse reserved ad-space on the desktop. Certainly not if this version of Windows is meant to be their new core OS platform. (A platform large swaths of the tech industry rely on)

Frankly, if this really is the direction Microsoft is going, I foresee utter failure in this launch. Worse than Windows Vista. Worse than Windows 8.

 

[Olas]

I don't think Microsoft is stupid enough to actually try to pull the things people are worried about here. I could expect this kind of thing from Google, but Microsoft's PR is in full damage control right now, hence they're giving this OS away for free.

Doing something as Orwellian sounding as recording your every key-press would be the kiss of death at this point.

 

[RicoADF]

Speaking from a purely aesthetical point of view, I do not like that UI at all. It's just so... so bland! That and I never liked the tile system, but that's just my view on it.

Agreed, I much prefer Windows 7's looks esp the Aero on the windows and sidebar and it'll continue to be my main OS, just got Windows 10 because I work in IT and need to keep upto date on software etc.

 

[RicoADF]

At least you have an understandable reason for it. I only started using windows 8 because I needed to get a new desktop as the old one had essentially become unworkable. I guess I will have to wait and hope someone makes an addon that gives the UI a better look. I don't understand Microsofts obsession with this bland tile stuff and I probably never will.

You can still get Windows 7, I plan to grab Windows 7 Pro soon for this laptop that 10 is installed on although I must admit the performance of 10 is good so if Stardock or someone else gives some nice visual improvements I might be more open to switching, as you can see in my screen shot tiles aren't a big issue as you can just get rid of them.