Windows 8 robs users; privacy on an unprecedented level

Source: Testosterone Pit - Home - LEAKED: German Government Warns Key Entities Not To Use Windows 8 ? Links The NSA

"The backdoor is called “Trusted Computing,” developed and promoted by the Trusted Computing Group, founded a decade ago by the all-American tech companies AMD, Cisco, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, and Wave Systems. Its core element is a chip, the Trusted Platform Module (TPM), and an operating system designed for it, such as Windows 8. Trusted Computing Group has developed the specifications of how the chip and operating systems work together.

Its purpose is Digital Rights Management and computer security. The system decides what software had been legally obtained and would be allowed to run on the computer, and what software, such as illegal copies or viruses and Trojans, should be disabled. The whole process would be governed by Windows, and through remote access, by Microsoft.


Now there is a new set of specifications out, creatively dubbed TPM 2.0. While TPM allowed users to opt in and out, TPM 2.0 is activated by default when the computer boots up. The user cannot turn it off. Microsoft decides what software can run on the computer, and the user cannot influence it in any way. Windows governs TPM 2.0. And what Microsoft does remotely is not visible to the user. In short, users of Windows 8 with TPM 2.0 surrender control over their machines the moment they turn it on for the first time."

The way I see this is: If you have nothing to worry about, then let the pirates or the child porn downloaders worry about it.

OldMX said:

The way I see this is: If you have nothing to worry about, then let the pirates or the child porn downloaders worry about it.

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That's not the point....it's an invasion of ones personal privacy, which no one has to right to. The biggest red flag I see is that they hid it from us. Just like NSA is doing and has been doing for a long time.

bassfisher6522 said:

That's not the point....it's an invasion of ones personal privacy, which no one has to right to. The biggest red flag I see is that they hid it from us. Just like NSA is doing and has been doing for a long time.

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Can you (or someone) explain what was hidden exactly?

This came out in August and from what I remember, if there was anything in the German Government advice, it was along the lines of 'TPM can lock you out' either by malfunction or possible malicious attack, and the extra method of being locked out of some critical machines is a bad thing.

Obviously various websites hyped it up and probably added a bunch of misunderstanding and error into the mix, but can anyone provide a source that shows there's something which Microsoft hid?

Well, the point is not that Microsoft hid it or didn't hide it. The point is that they're doing it.

It is creepy to the extreme IMHO. My personal recommendation to everyone I know is never to even set eyes on a Win8 machine, and I think that's the correct way to be as an end user. Nevermind government entities, especially foreign.

MasterChief said:

Well, the point is not that Microsoft hid it or didn't hide it. The point is that they're doing it.

It is creepy to the extreme IMHO. My personal recommendation to everyone I know is never to even set eyes on a Win8 machine, and I think that's the correct way to be as an end user. Nevermind government entities, especially foreign.

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What Os you recommend then?

bassfisher6522 said:

OldMX said:

The way I see this is: If you have nothing to worry about, then let the pirates or the child porn downloaders worry about it.

Click to expand...

That's not the point....it's an invasion of ones personal privacy, which no one has to right to. The biggest red flag I see is that they hid it from us. Just like NSA is doing and has been doing for a long time.

Click to expand...

And you know that and still use MS operating systems, dont you feel like running in circles?

OldMX said:

What Os you recommend then?

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Windows 7 since most people are not going to use a Linux variant. Linux is ultimately recommended though since as the article confirms, it is not even possible for it to use TPM 2.0.

OldMX said:

And you know that and still use MS operating systems, dont you feel like running in circles?

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I have a Linux-based machine doing network filtering and a nice hosts file on all machines. I do alright and contintue to use Win7 because I have a million programs for music and video editing that I can not get by without. Also, I game a bit.

Dont get me wrong, but this NSA invasion hasnt been around since WinME days?

WAVE systems, what do they have to do with it? :/

OldMX said:

Dont get me wrong, but this NSA invasion hasnt been around since WinME days?

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NSA itself has been around since BUSH days - And Before.

Apparently my system does not have a TPM chip.

Open RUN and type tpm.msc to check.



Jim

The Gulags and mass graves are filled with people who had nothing to hide.

This widespread information gathering by governments and Tech Corps might not turn out well for the citizens.

MS is going for it in a big way, starting with w8.

It is not impossible w7 has been compromised to some extent by a foreign government, but at least it doesn't have all that other stuff going on.

Phone Man said:

Apparently my system does not have a TPM chip.

Open RUN and type tpm.msc to check.

View attachment 34615

Jim

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Thanks, Jim.

My lowly Pentium D, DDR2 system (which I partially was given on New Year's Eve and also built with my "old" machine parts too) has a TPM chip. This is a screenshot from Windows 7 SP1 fully patched. I do not have 8 installed: