by Matthew Payton
4/16/2016

Windows 10 is Microsoft’s “hot” new operating system, and it’s hot in more ways than one.  Not only is the “upgrade” foisted upon users through methods which closely resemble those employed by adware, something which should come as alarming coming from a company which holds the lion’s share of the market.  Upon installation Windows 10 defaults to some significant privacy invasions, such as automatically assigning an advertising ID to each device tied to email addresses on file, using these technologies companies can customize ads specifically targeting consumers, without their permission.  The next concern is the majority of user data is automatically synced with Microsoft’s servers, meaning intimate details of how a system is employed will be shared with Microsoft, again without the user’s permission. Some IT Professionals have argued that these aren’t security risks, as they can be customized, or even disabled by users, however Microsoft provides the layman with little to no explanation on how this can be done out of the box. 

The issue residents of Holliston employing Windows 10 should perhaps be most concerned with however, is Microsoft’s vague terms of service which is worded as follows: "We will access, disclose and preserve personal data, including your content (such as the content of your emails, other private communications or files in private folders), when we have a good faith belief that doing so is necessary to protect our customers or enforce the terms governing the use of the services." With Microsoft attempting to provide a more personalized experience, in their defense it can be genuinely difficult to draw the line at what data should be collected, nonetheless however vague legal intricacies like this provide Microsoft with a great deal of freedom in regards to what can be done with residents of Holliston’s personal data without their permission.

As a small business owner, this information security professional and casual writer has had the opportunity of interacting with citizens of Holliston who have been plagued with these problems. One such case with a consumer residing near Fiske Street had backups dating back to 2002 placed in Jeopardy, as Microsoft’s Windows 10 update had seemingly overwritten backups to an external drive without permission, or providing an understandable explanation to said user.  So for those of you seeking to avoid the Windows 10 “upgrade”, here’s how:

1. Open up Windows update and click on View Update History
2. Click on Installed Updates
3. Type KB3035583 in the search box
4. Click on the KB3035583 entry in the search results and you will be asked if you are sure you want to uninstall it. Click yes to remove it.
5. Restart the system
6. After the System has restarted once again check for updates
7. Search for KB3035583 under available updates, right click it, and select Hide Updates

THAT’S IT YOU’RE DONE!

I hope this article has provided some useful information to residents of Holliston, please do not hesitate to ask any questions in the comment section below.