Hidden software found in 20H2 update.

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  1. Posts : 26
    Win 10 Home V22H2
       #1

    Hidden software found in 20H2 update.


    I recently upgraded to 20H2, but yesterday reverted back to 1909, because I found a hidden piece of software that showed itself when I sometimes go to various websites, and this software is adguard.

    I used to be able to go to some legit websites such as facebook, or mewe,, but one in particular was kompoz, but when the 20H2 update was installed, and I went to kompoz, adguard suddenly hijacked the web page with adguard parental control, and a warning, to something like:-

    "This web site has been noted to contain content that is inappropriate to younger children, and has been blocked, if this site is blocked in error, please add it to the whitelist in the adguard preferences"

    In fact, kompoz is a music collaboration platform, for musicians.

    But, there is no preferences, and there is no adguard installed, but when I reverted back to version 1909, adguard vanished, so I tried it again, and adguard came back, so it's safe to assume that MS has added some software to only allow users to visit sites that MS only allow you to visit, and some other sites that are legit, are blocked.

    I have looked at every aspect of the system, including a registry search for adguard and it's not on the system, so further digging found that adguard can be configured in the IPV4 DNS, but looking in there only my ISP DNS is there, so that means that the adguard DNS is hard coded for all browsers on the system, so when I reverted back to 1909 everything now works, but unfortunately there is a huge major problem.

    I can't block the 20H2 update and use 1909, because the update service is needed for the MS store, and if I enable updates, 20H2 gets installed whether I like it or not, and only visit sites that MS has allowed.
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 1,777
    Windows 11 [21H2]
       #2

    adguard is an ad blocking extension.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 23,014
    Win 10 Home ♦♦♦19045.4239 (x64) [22H2]
       #3

    @MrTrippy

    Microsoft does quite a few things I don't like. Such as forcing Edge browser on folks.

    However, I just went to Kompoz... and I don't see any "Adguard" messages.

    AdGuard — World's most advanced adblocker!


    I use the latest Firefox browser, and I run NO extensions/addons, etc.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 26
    Win 10 Home V22H2
    Thread Starter
       #4

    @Ghot

    If it's an extension, then it should have appeared when using 1909 but it doesn't, and I checked with all browsers I have installed, Opera, Firefox, Chrome, and Edge, and there isn't any extensions called adguard, adguard only appears when I upgrade to 20H2 and I can use any browser and adguard will appear when I go to kompoz, but not when I revert back to 1909, which tells me that somehow adguard is installed when I upgrade to 20H2 and I've tried it several times, reverted back to 1909, opened every browser I have and go to kompoz, and no adguard, upgrade to 20H2, reboot, and open all browsers, and go to kompoz on all of them and adguard appears on all the browsers that are on the kompoz page, so I reverted back to 1909, and by setting the update service to manual, then delaying the upgrade(s) for 2 years, I can still use the MS store, and now the update service says "Updates will resume on 7/23/2023".

    1909 is still the best stable release, so, I won't be updating until 20H2 has been verified as stable enough that it can be used with very few problems, probably in about 6 months.

    Oh, and I just now checked on the adguard website and it can also be applied to all browsers, by using one of the adguard DNS IP address, which I tested by entering an adguard DNS IP address into the IPV4 DNS entry, then going to kompoz, and waddya know, adguard took over the page, I tried it on Opera, Firefox, Edge and Chrome, and they all had adguard showing, but when I removed the DNS entry, in the IPV4 setting, and replaced it with googles public DNS, adguard didn't appear, which again, tells me that MS has hardwired adguard DNS IP addresses into 20H2 so that no matter what browser is used, adguard WILL reappear, and that is why I couldn't find it as software or an extension, or even in the IPV4 DNS settings, because it's hardcoded.

    So, for now, I'm staying with 1909.
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 23,014
    Win 10 Home ♦♦♦19045.4239 (x64) [22H2]
       #5

    @MrTrippy

    You saw the adguard link I posted?
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 42,737
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       #6

    Which browser were you using? You don't say in your 1st post.

    Have you tried accessing the same sites with which you report difficulty using a different browser?

    I have 20H2, and with Edge Chromium I can access this site without issues.
    Hidden software found in 20H2 update.-1.png

    Is this the URL you mean?

    Adguard appears to be an installable desktop program rather than a per browser add-on. As such, it seems all browsers would behave similarly.
    Install/Uninstall | AdGuard Knowledgebase

    Perhaps a program you have installed might have somehow packaged it with its installer it you've not installed it explicitly.

    Have you checked to see whether it's a program you can uninstall?
    Last edited by dalchina; 13 May 2021 at 01:10.
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 920
    Windows 10 Pro
       #7

    And here using 20H2, Edge Chromium with AdBlocker Ultimate extension installed and allowed access, absolutely no issues with the site. As dalchina says, a third party app you have installed probably had AdGuard bundled into the installer.
    Hidden software found in 20H2 update.-adblock1.png
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 26
    Win 10 Home V22H2
    Thread Starter
       #8

    dalchina said:
    Which browser were you using? You don't say in your 1st post.
    I did say in my 2nd post I tried all the browsers I had installed, Firefox, Chrome, Edge, and Opera

    dalchina said:
    Hidden software found in 20H2 update.-1.png

    Is this the URL you mean?
    Yes

    dalchina said:
    Adguard appears to be an installable desktop program rather than a per browser add-on. As such, it seems all browsers would behave similarly.
    Install/Uninstall | AdGuard Knowledgebase

    Perhaps a program you have installed might have somehow packaged it with its installer it you've not installed it explicitly.
    I checked everything, if it was a packaged installer wouldn't it affect the current version 1909? But it actually affects version 20H2.

    dalchina said:
    Have you checked to see whether it's a program you can uninstall?
    Yes, there is nothing in any uninstaller, or even when using Revo uninstaller, and even a registry search, nothing is found, but as I said, it only appears when using 20H2, not 1909, but to fix it, I have literally set the update delay so that it resumes on 8/29/2025, and if I hear that 20H2 a lot more stable, then I'll try it again, but if it still has adguard, then I'll just keep using 1909, even though there'll be no more security updates.
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 42,737
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       #9

    20H2 does not include Adgard. At least, not for me. Nor do I see any sign of MS-imposed restrictions, and I've not seen any similar report.

    Try searching for
    20H2 adgard
    If this was a common experience, you might expect plenty of complaints.

    Is it shown here?
    Hidden software found in 20H2 update.-1.png

    This describes installing and uninstalling it.
    Install/Uninstall | AdGuard Knowledgebase

    Meanwhile, tutorials are available for you to disable Windows Update completely.
    I can't block the 20H2 update and use 1909, because the update service is needed for the MS store,
    I used Sledgehammer (free) to do that staying on 1903 until recently. It allows enabling the Store temporarily, and Defender is atill updated.

    But that is avoiding, rather than dealing with, a problem that seems unique to your installation. It seems premature without evidence from others to start blaming MS in this instance.
      My Computers


  10. Posts : 1,203
    11 Home
       #10

    I am guessing you have been confusing Microsoft's Application Guard feature with AdGuard. They are two completely different things...

    https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...guard-overview

    https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...wser-extension
      My Computers


 

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