Privacy and Windows 10

Lee said:

. . .for the last time; if this bothers you so much then it is time to disconnect from the internet, throw out your cell phones, dispose of your tablets, tear up your credit/bank cards, and head for the backwoods, and hope no one ever fines or even sees you. . ..

I have read this thread through and while I do find it rather funny, there is a real practical question that I would like to get an answer to.

Which services/apps/programs are safe to firewall and which services/programs are essential and thus should be allowed to connect to the internet?

Here's what I mean. I have Windows 10 installed on a test machine. This machine has no data on it whatsoever, so even if *they* would scan the drive on the daily basis there is just simply no information on it, so it's not privacy that I'm concerned about (just so that you retire the tin hat jokes).

What I want on my machine is the understanding and control of what program is doing what and when. Ideally I want to reach the situation that the machine is actually idle when it's supposed to be idle, i.e. when I'm not doing anything on it. That includes internet connections.

For now, all parts of Windows 10 constantly try to connect to the network. I know because I'm using a third-party firewall in the interactive regime and it keeps telling me when anything wants to connect. The problem with Windows 10 is that something always tries to connect so that no work is possible on the machine - I just keep responding to those requests. The main problem is - when I am trying to decide which request to approve and which not, I have no idea what I'm doing since there is very little information on what is actually going on.

Now, if I completely disconnect from the network the machine is working just fine. This tells me that those constant connections are not needed for the OS operation. Of course, if I want to connect to the net, then some OS processes need to do their job to establish the connection. So my real question is - what are those processes (this is what I called "essential" up in the beginning)? Everything else can be kept offline as far as I'm concerned.

If one is really concerned about this there are many, many ways to block MS from tracking what you are doing, if they are doing it to help build a better OS that is OK. They cannot use anything they find against you without a Warrant and trust me if The NSA wants to see what you are doing, the only way to stop them is to pull your Ethernet Cable.

Waited to see how this would play out ... and it has done so just as I had expected! Those who have been defending MS since the beginning, and attacking anyone who dare criticize MS -- are completely satisfied with what is, essentially, nothing more than a PR statement.

As pointed out in other threads, and again in this one, MS's own documentation clearly states they are collecting information -- just because some MS executive says they are NOT does not change those printed statements. As someone mentioned in this thread, saying "we are not collecting ... data.. for advertising purposes" is NOT the same as saying "we are not collecting ... data".

They do collect data, that is not in dispute, the Advertising Data that they collect is not any different than what Google has been doing for years.MS is not looking at everything you buy on line they mat just look at the sites you frequent. As posted there are ways to prevent this.

It looks like I read the actual 12,000 accurate non interpreted words of the ULA incorrectly and missed the hidden good samaritan meanings .. my error.. at least accodring to senior members of this forum..makes me wonder..

ICIT2LOL said:

So my query is is it possible to encrypt my emails and banking sessions so that no one can access it even Microsoft?? If it were possible then I think a few more people would be less stressed about using 10.

Hi I am not Shawn. But I can answer that by saying if your operating system has been compromised then you cannot be sure that anything you do on your computer can be kept private. No encryption can work effectively if you have a keylogger running.

Mc Ruff said:

Hi I am not Shawn. But I can answer that by saying if your operating system has been compromised then you cannot be sure that anything you do on your computer can be kept private. No encryption can work effectively if you have a keylogger running.

I thought it has been determined Microsoft is not using a key logger for any windows operating system.

No, Microsoft is not spying on you with Windows 10 | ZDNet