What is Diagnostics Tracking Service which was installed from Windows Updates?

Question

Original title: Microsoft is installing SPYWARE thru Windows Updates?

Windows updates installed something called "Diagnostics Tracking Service" in my Windows 8.1 Pro.

Take a look at THIS website.

http://thepcwhisperer.blogspot.in/2014/10/microsofts-windows-10-preview-has-built.html

It says what this service does in Windows 10 TP.

Data We Collect

When you acquire, install and use the Program, Microsoft collects information about you, your devices, applications and networks, and your use of those devices, applications and networks. Examples of data we collect include your name, email address, preferences and interests; browsing, search and file history; phone call and SMS data; device configuration and sensor data; and application usage. For example, when you:

• install the Program, we may collect information about your device and applications and use it for purposes such as determining or improving compatibility,
• use voice input features like speech-to-text, we may collect voice information and use it for purposes such as improving speech processing,
• open a file, we may collect information about the file, the application used to open the file, and how long it takes and use it for purposes such as improving performance, or
• enter text, we may collect typed characters and use them for purposes such as improving auto complete and spell check features.

While this might make some sense in a TP (although I consider collecting so much personal information as email addresses and keystrokes to be extreme), it makes no sense in a released Windows version.

It's not like I have downloaded it myself from their website as a loving gesture and I want to share whatever I do in my personal life with Microsoft. They slipped it in as an "update" to Windows 8.1

This is definitely spyware behavior in some sense. It's collecting too much personal data.

I don't want to share ANYTHING with Microsoft. I have NOT turned on the customer improvement program thing in Windows.

WHY IS MICROSOFT DOING THIS?

WHICH KB DO I NEED TO UNINSTALL AND BLOCK IN ORDER TO GET RID OF THIS?

WHY IS MY ANTIVIRUS NOT REMOVING THIS? HAS MS PAID THE ANTIVIRUS VENDORS?

SHOULD I DISABLE AUTOMATIC UPDATES? I'M LOSING TRUST ON MICROSOFT. THEY CAN INSTALL SPYWARE ANY MOMENT, I CANNOT INDIVIDUALLY CHECK THE KB ARTICLE ON EVERY UPDATE JUST TO MAKE SURE IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'LL SEND PERSONAL INFORMATION BACK TO MS.

I'm really upset about this. :(

Answer 1

Shilohbob, You're welcome.

My primary reason for posting this was to understand why they're doing this, but I'm glad some users will read this and avoid the update.

Unfortunately, most people using their computers are not tech savvy people who read forum posts, unless they're already having an issue and have posted a question to resolve the issue..

The diagnostics tracking service is incredibly difficult to spot, as people won't probably open the task manager and manually go thru 70 process names just to make sure a bad process is not running.

It's even more difficult to detect as this service does not interact with the desktop, there are no open windows to inform the user that information is being sent over the internet to Microsoft, and he/she is being tracked, and there is no performance hit.

It's like a "perfect-spyware", they only exception being it's easy to remove once spotted.

I still think it is a bad move by Microsoft to include this as an "Update".

Like BritFox wrote in his post, this does not fix a "specific problem" with the OS, does not "improve" functionality in any way, and offers absolutely no benefits as far as the end user is concerned. The only entity to benefit from this, is Microsoft.

This isn't an "update". It should not be included as an optional update.

They can offer a download link in their website and clearly inform the users about the massive amounts of data this service will send back home to Microsoft ("This tracking service collects data about functional issues in Windows" -- is NOT a proper explanation of what kind of data it will collect. It does not inform users that it will collect every search query, every file he opens, every website he visits, his/her name, email address, preferences and interests, and pretty much every keystroke ).

If the user chooses to install it after reading it all, then fine.

It's NOT a typical update. It's NOT what an user expects to be installed by Windows Updates on a non-beta OS he/she has purchased. Users are "Consumers", not "non-paid software testers".

It's a sad day for us long-time Windows users. Windows is becoming the next Android. Microsoft is becoming the next Google. Very sad.

Answer 2

Thanks for your help Lead3,

I'll remove it when I get back to that computer.

Indeed I selected it, I select ALL the updates from Microsoft, Critical+Recommended+Optional, cause I generally TRUST Microsoft and assume they won't include software which are privacy risks.

Should we STOP installing optional updates?

Are you suggesting these optional updates might contain deliberate spyware (which is not a result of some accidental error in programming, but actually intended to spy on user behavior), even in a non-beta OS release?

It's impractical to expect the average "home" user to read the KB articles for EVERY optional update that Windows Update suggests, just to make sure that Microsoft is not bundling keyloggers/trackers/spyware in the update.

The only solution-it looks like-is to completely avoid ALL optional updates... :(

Answer 3

Diagnostics Tracking Service was an Optional update from Microsoft, KB3022345.

It did not install unless you selected it since it was optional.

It can be removed by going to Programs and Features, View installed updates and selecting uninstall.

Answer 4

Addictive, seriously?

I'm not here to pick up a fight or anything, but your answer kinda looks like a "desperate attempt" to justify a wrong behavior by MS.

I have been using Windows since Windows 98.

And I've NEVER had a virus/malware/spyware on the computer since Windows Vista.

The ONLY spyware I got, was delivered by Microsoft as this "Optional Update".

Your advice to "Never keep *any* kind of personal data on your PC" is IMPRACTICAL.

However, Microsoft not including a tracking software as an optional "Update" is something a lot of us expect.

Nothing you keep on a network connected computer is really safe, but I really don't expect a brand like Microsoft to install a spyware on my computer as an optional update.

Shame on MS. Shame on people defending this.