Speaking of all the phone home spy stuff, does anyone have a list of the IP's and/or domain names that are used for the phone home? Thinking the simple answer is to block those with a hardware firewall.

I don't know how much of this list has changed since it was posted (I'm pretty sure in this thread) waaaaaaay back in August.

http://pastebin.com/N7wJLngB

It doesn't have the real IPs, but it has the domain names, which can be turned back into IPs with an nslookup. Personally, in a HOSTS file, I use 0.0.0.0 rather than loopback.

Blocking all of those might break a few things as collateral damage though. So.. use with caution.

But there was another issue that was raised (also in this thread) whereby even if you block the DNS lookups for stuff... things STILL get through, because they are hard-coded in the DLLs and so forth to use specific IPs without needing to be looked-up. Someone tested that by not setting a DNS entry on their machine and they were still able to get communication to Windows Update and a lot of the Cortana stuff.

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Linux laptop:
record uptime: 1511d 20h 19m (ended due to the power brick giving-up)

But there was another issue that was raised (also in this thread) whereby even if you block the DNS lookups for stuff... things STILL get through, because they are hard-coded in the DLLs and so forth to use specific IPs without needing to be looked-up. Someone tested that by not setting a DNS entry on their machine and they were still able to get communication to Windows Update and a lot of the Cortana stuff.

Yep, which is why you don't block with a hosts file, but with a hardware firewall based on IP, which will work with all the computers behind it.

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Speaking of all the phone home spy stuff, does anyone have a list of the IP's and/or domain names that are used for the phone home? Thinking the simple answer is to block those with a hardware firewall.

Just for grins, at the time of the August post I tried to determine how many IP addresses were registered to MS from pages such as http://ipinfo.io/AS8075 and came up with over 8 million IP addresses after plugging all that I found into a spreadsheet - and I am sure I did not find all of them. Some of them I think have been given/loaned to CDNs, perhaps for updates, because the reverse DNS lookups show they are currently used by the likes of Akamai. In any case, at that point I figured I would have to know specifically what IP addresses were being used as I was certainly not going to be able to block all of MS's ip addresses. ;)

Speaking of all the phone home spy stuff, does anyone have a list of the IP's and/or domain names that are used for the phone home? Thinking the simple answer is to block those with a hardware firewall.

Click on the first link in the list of articles in my previous reply to Linda Latte. The first paragraph beneath the table in the article contains two links. The second link is a downloadable .txt file of the first link.

bon apetit

EDIT:
Just discovered that Disable Win Tracking from the list within Comparison of Windows 10 Privacy tools is no longer being developed. As an alternative, you may want to consider BetterPrivacy. Info from the aforementioned .txt file can be inputted into this tool.

According to the developer:
"With this script you can do the following to improve your privacy on Windows 10 computers:

* Disable services
* Remove apps
* Block telemetry domains
* Block telemetry IPs
* Change general privacy settings"

The site provides a screen print.

But there was another issue that was raised (also in this thread) whereby even if you block the DNS lookups for stuff... things STILL get through, because they are hard-coded in the DLLs and so forth to use specific IPs without needing to be looked-up. Someone tested that by not setting a DNS entry on their machine and they were still able to get communication to Windows Update and a lot of the Cortana stuff.

Yep, which is why you don't block with a hosts file, but with a hardware firewall based on IP, which will work with all the computers behind it.

Over the years I have added IPs to my router to block. So far I have these all in my block list.
64.34.0.0 ~ 64.34.255.255
64.94.107.0 ~ 64.94.107.255
74.125.45.100 ~ 74.125.45.100
74.125.226.254 ~ 74.125.226.254
84.19.171.6 ~ 84.19.171.6
173.194.43.28 ~ 173.194.43.28
195.50.191.14 ~ 195.50.191.14
200.0.0.0 ~ 200.255.255.255
202.97.192.0 ~ 202.97.255.255
211.73.192.0 ~ 211.73.223.255
216.157.0.0 ~ 216.157.255.255
216.73.93.8 ~ 216.73.93.8
218.0.0.0 ~ 218.255.255.255
221.0.0.0 ~ 221.255.255.255

I don't recall what most of them are, and recently I found I'm going to have to start making an IPv6 list as well.

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SETI@home classic workunits: 93,865 CPU time: 863,447 hours
Join the [url=http://tinyurl.com/8y46zvu]BP6/VP6 User Group[

I posted here at the first part of January that I had succumbed to the siren call of Smartphones and purchased a Windows Phone, careful to pick V8.1. Being new to the service which allows 3Gb of data with my plan level, I've been an extreme data miser, checking usage weekly.

I noticed that between 7:30 and 8:30 each morning there was a connection with between .4 and 1.2 Mb of data being transferred, without my input. I surmise this is the 'phone home' protocol at work. As I'm coming from a 2001 flip phone I'm still learning how to just make and answer calls so I haven't had time to delve further into it, but so far my phone hasn't 'auto upgraded' to v 10.

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"Sour Grapes make a bitter Whine." <(0)>

But there was another issue that was raised (also in this thread) whereby even if you block the DNS lookups for stuff... things STILL get through, because they are hard-coded in the DLLs and so forth to use specific IPs without needing to be looked-up. Someone tested that by not setting a DNS entry on their machine and they were still able to get communication to Windows Update and a lot of the Cortana stuff.

Yep, which is why you don't block with a hosts file, but with a hardware firewall based on IP, which will work with all the computers behind it.

Over the years I have added IPs to my router to block. So far I have these all in my block list. ...

Almost pointless now since Microsoft uses the services of Akamai, as do many other service delivery systems...


My experience of Microsoft (and some others) are that they appear to have contrived to make firewalling of their nefariousness almost impossible. Or at least extremely painful.


Do we all give up and die to be chopped up as dead meat?

HELL NO!


There are far better alternatives.

IT is what we allow it to be...
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

But there was another issue that was raised (also in this thread) whereby even if you block the DNS lookups for stuff... things STILL get through, because they are hard-coded in the DLLs and so forth to use specific IPs without needing to be looked-up. Someone tested that by not setting a DNS entry on their machine and they were still able to get communication to Windows Update and a lot of the Cortana stuff.

Yep, which is why you don't block with a hosts file, but with a hardware firewall based on IP, which will work with all the computers behind it.

Over the years I have added IPs to my router to block. So far I have these all in my block list. ...

Almost pointless now since Microsoft uses the services of Akamai, as do many other service delivery systems...


My experience of Microsoft (and some others) are that they appear to have contrived to make firewalling of their nefariousness almost impossible. Or at least extremely painful.


Do we all give up and die to be chopped up as dead meat?

HELL NO!


There are far better alternatives.

IT is what we allow it to be...
Martin

Yeah, MAC OS X!!!!! :-)


Tl

---

TimeLord04
Have TARDIS, will travel...
Come along K-9!
Join Calm Chaos

More meddling by Micro$haft to users computers running Windows 10:

Windows 10 Updates Are Deleting Some Apps Without Notifying Users

If you’ve applied a major update to Windows 10 recently, you might notice that a couple of your apps have gone missing. It’s not a bug. Windows 10 is removing apps it considers incompatible or outdated.

---snip---

It’s unclear why Windows is doing this right now. While the primary theory is that the upgrade is removing outdated apps and drivers, Microsoft hasn’t officially commented on the reasoning behind it. For now, if you want your apps back, you’ll have to reinstall them manually. Check out the How-To Geek’s post for more details on how to potentially recover your files as well.

Windows 10 May Delete Your Programs Without Asking

---

More meddling by Micro$haft to users computers running Windows 10:

Windows 10 Updates Are Deleting Some Apps Without Notifying Users

If you’ve applied a major update to Windows 10 recently, you might notice that a couple of your apps have gone missing. It’s not a bug. Windows 10 is removing apps it considers incompatible or outdated.

---snip---

It’s unclear why Windows is doing this right now. While the primary theory is that the upgrade is removing outdated apps and drivers, Microsoft hasn’t officially commented on the reasoning behind it. For now, if you want your apps back, you’ll have to reinstall them manually. Check out the How-To Geek’s post for more details on how to potentially recover your files as well.

Windows 10 May Delete Your Programs Without Asking

Greetings Dr.,

Logic dictates that if this were on the up-and-up, Micro$oft would just answer when they are questioned about these 'nefarious' events. If Micro$oft was on the up-and-up, they would have the update utility note what programs have been removed and why. Because that logic is not being followed, in my opinion anyway, this just smacks of Micro$oft doing it's best to steal every PC they can get Window$ 10 installed on.

I predict that if Micro$oft is allowed to continue as they are, within a decade NO ONE will ever own a PC ever again, unless Linux becomes users OS of choice. "Choice", now there's something that Micro$oft is removing from all who are running Window$.

Keep on BOINCing...! :)

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CAPT Siran d'Vel'nahr - L L & P _\\//
Winders 11 OS? "What a piece of junk!" - L. Skywalker
"Logic is the cement of our civilization with which we ascend from chaos using reason as our guide." - T'Plana-hath

Last night some Win 10 updates were available, so i installed them. Only one worked, and Windows said the other failed, and reversed it. It had to reboot several times before I finally could log on. In the process, it decided that my pdf viewer should be Edge, instead of Adobe Reader. I knew the latest Adobe Reader version had problems with another program I had, so I removed the latest, and installed the previous version, before the cloud system. I tried the failed update again, and the same thing happened. After numerous reboots, I logged on, and resumed crunching.

That was a real pain in the butt, and I wonder what will happen now that my system refuses to install these updates.

Steve

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Warning, addicted to SETI crunching!
Crunching as a member of GPU Users Group.
GPUUG Website

13 days ago I last used the laptop with Windows 10 on it. Since I need to use it again tomorrow, I thought I'll allow it to update itself. It's been doing that, and only that, since noon. It's almost 7pm here and it's still doing Windows Update. Yeah, a marvel of engineering that Windows 10, doesn't slow your stuff down at all, and those through your nose updates? Best we ever had.

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Another interesting thought occurred to me regarding M$'s position regarding the EULA and ownership of files. Are they next going to claim that unique intellectual property such as songs, poetry, and scientific discovery, created while using a M$ O$, are also the property of M$ and not their creator?

I think there's some 'food for thought' there.

---

"Sour Grapes make a bitter Whine." <(0)>

Another interesting thought occurred to me regarding M$'s position regarding the EULA and ownership of files. Are they next going to claim that unique intellectual property such as songs, poetry, and scientific discovery, created while using a M$ O$, are also the property of M$ and not their creator?

I think there's some 'food for thought' there.

IIRC that became an issue many years ago, the mid-70's. Can't remember the full details of the case, but it involved some software that printed a copyright notice on every page, claiming the users data was theirs. Didn't go well for the software company. But if you "sign" a EULA that transfers ownership ...

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"updates to avoid", version 7:

(Red for 8.1, Blue for 7, Green for either/both):

KB 2952664 - Labeled a compatibility upgrade for upgrading Windows 7, its purpose is to "make improvements to the current operating system in order to ease the upgrade experience to the latest version of Windows".
KB 2957026 - This update makes feature changes and improvements to the Windows 8.1 Upgrade notification in Windows 8 or Windows RT. After you install this update, the upgrade will be more discoverable and faster.
KB 2976978 - A compatibility update for Windows 8.1 and Windows 8 which "performs diagnostics on the Windows system [..] to determine whether compatibility issues may be encountered when the latest Windows operating system is installed.
KB 2977759 - This update performs diagnostics on the Windows systems that participate in the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program. These diagnostics help determine whether compatibility issues may be encountered when the latest Windows operating system is installed. This update will help Microsoft and its partners ensure compatibility for customers who want to install the latest Windows operating system.
KB 2990214 - Does the same as KB 3044374 but on Windows 7.
KB 3021917 - Does the same as KB 2976978 but on Windows 7.
KB 3022345 - Update to enable the Diagnostics Tracking Service in Windows (Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1)
KB 3035583 - This update installs the "Get Windows 10" notification on Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 8.1
KB 3044374 - This update for Windows 8.1 enables systems to upgrade from the current operating system to a later version of Windows.
KB 3050265 - This update makes improvements to the Update client to increase scanning speed, and to improve the upgrade to later versions of Windows. Also provides the registry keys to disable upgrading to 10.
KB 3050267 - Same as KB3050265 but for Windows 8.1.
KB 3058168 - This update allows 8.1 Key Management Service (KMS) hosts to upgrade to 10.
KB 3065987 - This article describes an update that contains some improvements to Windows Update Client in Windows 7.
KB 3065988 - Same as KB3065987, but for Windows 8.1.
KB 3068708 - This update introduces the Diagnostics and Telemetry tracking service to existing devices.
KB 3075249 - This update adds telemetry points to the User Account Control (UAC) feature to collect information on elevations that come from low integrity levels.
KB 3075851 - This article describes an update that contains some improvements to Windows Update Client in Windows 7 and also resolves an issue in which certain Windows Update operations fail when you install (KB3065987) on Windows 7 Embedded editions.
KB 3075853 - Same as KB3075851, but for Windows 8.1.
KB 3079821 - Same as KB3058168, but for Windows 7.
KB 3081954 - This update ensures users can continue using Work Folders when upgrading from Windows 7 to 10. Also adds telemetry points to Work Folders for Asimov telemetry pipeline.
KB 3080149 - This package updates the Diagnostics and Telemetry tracking service to existing devices.
KB 3083324 - Windows Update Client for Windows 7 - August 2015.
KB 3083325 - Windows Update Client for Windows 8.1 - August 2015.
KB 3083710 - New Update Client for Windows 7. No further details about it. (It is suspected this new client downloads other updates in this list in the background without any consent or notice of doing so.)
KB 3083711 - New Update Client for Windows 8.1. No further details about it. (It is suspected this new client downloads other updates in this list in the background without any consent or notice of doing so.)
KB 3102810 - Improvements to the New Update Client provided by KB3083710
KB 3102812 - Improvements to the New Update Client provided by KB3083711
KB 3112343 - Improves the Update Client when upgrading from 7 to 10 and provides MS with feedback on how smooth the process was.
KB 3112336 - Improves the Update Client when upgrading from 8.1 to 10 and provides MS with feedback on how smooth the process was.
KB 3123862 - This update adds capabilities to some computers that lets users easily learn about Windows 10 or start an upgrade to Windows 10. (read: "nags you with propaganda until you give-in")
KB 3135445 - New Update Client for Windows 7 - February 2016.
KB 3135449 - New Update Client for Windows 8.1 - February 2016.
KB 3138612 - New Update Client for Windows 7 - March 2016.
KB 3138615 - New Update Client for Windows 8.1 - March 2016.

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Linux laptop:
record uptime: 1511d 20h 19m (ended due to the power brick giving-up)

2977759, 2952664, and 3035583 have been re-re-[x however many]released, so those are obvious repeat offenders. The new update client for this month is the only legitimately new one that I've seen.

Other than that, I've gone ahead and decided to decline 3063109 in WSUS and on my laptop, as it is not needed at all. It is to improve win7 VMs running on Hyper-V on a win10 host. Therefore, it is not needed if your win7 install is a real install.

---

Linux laptop:
record uptime: 1511d 20h 19m (ended due to the power brick giving-up)

Lately it seems, that updates from M$ are >98% only Win10 ad- and malware related. Thank you very much for maintaining this list of untruthful updates from M$!

I'm a windows guy from the beginning, but now i'm exploring LinuxMint: https://linuxmint.com/ with the cinnamon desktop in a VirtualBox.
I have to say, i'm very pleased, everything, including M$ office documents, ran out of the box and every "normal" window$ user should feel at home at once, except for the games. If M$ continues to threat privacy and sovereign control of *MY* PC, i'll finally make the swap.

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Aloha, Uli

I'm a windows guy from the beginning, but now i'm exploring LinuxMint: https://linuxmint.com/ with the cinnamon desktop in a VirtualBox.
I have to say, i'm very pleased, everything, including M$ office documents, ran out of the box and every "normal" window$ user should feel at home at once, except for the games. If M$ continues to threat privacy and sovereign control of *MY* PC, i'll finally make the swap.

I've moved... OK... upgraded 5/8 of my farm and personal machines to Mint with one more due soon. So far it's been easy and seamless. I was impressed that it automatically installed WLAN drivers (although watch out for RTL drivers as there's an issue with the built-in ones where they stop working after a short time until a restart... the rest are fine) for multiple USB devices, including USB audio (and onboard), automatically detects and mounts NTFS partitions, and Cinnamon is very easy to adapt to as an interface. Oh and one other hurdle is passed: Netflix now works natively in Linux by installing the latest Chrome... Silverlight is no longer required due to HTML5 support.

My only complaint is setting up network shares/drives... it's (still) terribly overcomplicated. You can create "shares" easily through Cinnamon (uses underlying Samba and creates SMB shares) that then nothing else either Windows or *ux can connect to. I've tried making Samba accounts, setting volume permissions and it just doesn't want to work. I'm also not the only one with this issue. If Linux really wants to go "mainstream" and compete with Windows as a desktop OS, it needs a simple, universal, graphic way of configuring shares that works... this is a basic OS function these days.

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@Ulrich Metzner & Mr. Kevvy:
Which version do you have installed, and how long have you been using Mint?

I've been researching distros and LinuxMint was in my short list of Win alternatives...until I read this and this. But the most damning indictment came from other members of the free software community in this editorial, specifically, the first sentence after the purple texted paragraph. Comments to this posting submitted by other open source developers are just as scathing.

It's easy to say, "Enough !" regarding Windows. I know because I've said it. But the hard part (for me anyway) is the due diligence given all the flavors of Linux. So, my research continues at distrowatch.com.

17.3 Rosa for a couple of weeks. It was recommended by a friend here, and I went for it because, for someone who last installed Linux nigh two decades ago and gave up on it as unusable, it was easy and comes with most things one needs preinstalled and preconfigured, and makes it very easy with the package manager to add more. This is a Linux to answer those who say that it's still not ready for the desktop because it's too complicated. Anyone who can install Windows can install this... it's even easier because of not requiring W/LAN drivers before connecting to the internet.

There are a pile of security updates available from the update manager (another excellent feature which makes the transition from Windows easier) so they must be addressing the security concerns; I would say that they are (were?) behind only because its popularity exceeded expectations. I don't know if they host their own site so I can't blame them offhand for getting hacked, but I got it from the torrent anyways due to them being cryptographically secure as well as using no provider's bandwidth. I'm not worried... already behind a firewall, don't run as root, don't visit malware-laden sites or install dodgy crap from untrusted sources, installing AdBlock/No-Script is the first thing I do after firing up the Fox.

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