*&^%$#@! MSpy did it again!

Yesterday, Windows Updates posted one Important and two Optional updates. The Important on was new definitions for Windows Defender. I hid one of the optional updates, then I was going to wait to download and install the remaining Optional and Important update for a few days like I normally do.

A few minutes ago, I noticed the Windows Update icon in the Notification area had disappeared again (the past few months, it comes and goes when there are updates pending) so I manually checked it and the Important update was gone. I checked and *&^%$#@! MSpy had downloaded and installed the thing despite my having Windows Updates set to only notify me and NOT download and install anything until I decide. This is around the third time this year this has happened. What the hell, MSpy!

What were the KB's that Microsoft sneaked in.

Layback Bear said:

What were the KB's that Microsoft sneaked in.

KB915597

It gets even more insidious. I went into Windows Defender to see what was going on (the update was definitions for Windows Defender) and found it had turned itself back on (I had it turned off since I have an AV), was checking for definitions before running scans, apparently downloading and installing them, and also has something I hadn't seen before: Microsoft SpyNet. Supposedly, it only sends information about detected spyware threats but one line in what SpyNet does was especially chilling: "In some instances, personal information might be unintentionally sent to Microsoft." Unintentionally my Aunt Fanny! MSpy went too far a long time ago and has been steadily getting worse. I may not wait until 2020 to tell MSpy to go to hell!

MS SpyNet has existed and been part of Defender since Vista as in Beta.
Live with it.

Interesting
Don't manually check for updates
If updates disappear they might not of been too important could of been recalled.
Might of been referring to these ?
Today's Windows Update have two Kb Article IDs!

NoelDP said:

MS SpyNet has existed and been part of Defender since Vista as in Beta.
Live with it.

Funny I never saw it before. Live with it? Hell, no! I shut Defender off. Hopefully, it will stay off this time!

Yea windows defender :/
Kind of the utility that has never found anything ever :)

ThrashZone said:

Yea windows defender :/
Kind of the utility that has never found anything ever :)

...except how to turn itself back on.

Probably second in one of the slowest scanners ever created
Second to MSE

Still though both should comply with CEIP preferences again I say "should"

RE: Windows Defender. I have always disabled it. However there's a scheduled task that will run even if you disable the windows defender service and registry entries:



Checked registry for MS Spynet and all entries seem to be disabled. I don't use MSE.