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Thread: Windows 10 starts to auto-block unwanted apps (PUAs)

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    Windows 10 starts to auto-block unwanted apps (PUAs)

    And Microsoft has suspended the offer of Windows 365 free trials, due to lack of capacity.
    Read more.

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    Re: Windows 10 starts to auto-block unwanted apps (PUAs)

    Defaulted to on is basically one step closer to 'forcing' the use of the MS store for all applications installed on windows...

    I wouldn't mind so much if it had a pop up asking for OUR choice but this lack of choice is a bit too controlling for my tastes, especially because it can still do false positives.

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    Re: Windows 10 starts to auto-block unwanted apps (PUAs)

    Quote Originally Posted by LSG501 View Post
    Defaulted to on is basically one step closer to 'forcing' the use of the MS store for all applications installed on windows...

    I wouldn't mind so much if it had a pop up asking for OUR choice but this lack of choice is a bit too controlling for my tastes, especially because it can still do false positives.
    Just go in and turn it off then? It's not hard
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    Re: Windows 10 starts to auto-block unwanted apps (PUAs)

    Some of these programs is developed by communities and has a use, if it end getting forced, people would get hacked versions of windows 11-12-13 and hacked updates to as well.

    And then Optical drives and more may have a use again, in ways of having to bypass stuff.

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    Re: Windows 10 starts to auto-block unwanted apps (PUAs)

    This is much needed IMHO, and it's not as restrictive as saying all your applications have to come from a single store, plus there's the toggle.

    Many many hours of fixing up friends and relatives PCs would have been saved if we'd had this years ago!

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    Re: Windows 10 starts to auto-block unwanted apps (PUAs)

    Microsoft are the only 'security' company that think qBittorrent is malware, funny that.

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    Re: Windows 10 starts to auto-block unwanted apps (PUAs)

    Quote Originally Posted by LSG501 View Post
    Defaulted to on is basically one step closer to 'forcing' the use of the MS store for all applications installed on windows...

    I wouldn't mind so much if it had a pop up asking for OUR choice but this lack of choice is a bit too controlling for my tastes, especially because it can still do false positives.
    Ahhh, no this is very certainly not leading down to "forcing use of MS Store".

    PUAs are exceptional vectors for actual applications that can deliver malicious payloads or are used specifically by malicious entities to perform their acts.

    PSExec and similar ilk are immediately blocked on our network, this kind of thing should have been part of Windows Defender much earlier on to be honest.

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    Re: Windows 10 starts to auto-block unwanted apps (PUAs)

    Quote Originally Posted by 3dcandy View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by LSG501 View Post
    Defaulted to on is basically one step closer to 'forcing' the use of the MS store for all applications installed on windows...

    I wouldn't mind so much if it had a pop up asking for OUR choice but this lack of choice is a bit too controlling for my tastes, especially because it can still do false positives.
    Just go in and turn it off then? It's not hard
    One day there will be a version of windows were you cannot, this is another step in that direction.

    MS have stated they intend to bring their Xbox security architecture to windows, most likely TPM 2.0 requirement is laying the foundation for that future.

    Also Windows 11 home requires an MS account to login.

    One day you might even be banned from Windows or have services restricted like being banned from Xbox Live.

    windows pro may not have some of these "security" systems but for how long will that last.

    This is not a good development, all of the major American tech companies are increasingly becoming authoritarian gate keepers and the people coming out the US collages hired by these companies fully support this.

    There is even an extreme sub-movement to make Linux usable only by those who meet their ethical standards but thankfully the open source movement has told them to go kick rocks.

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    Re: Windows 10 starts to auto-block unwanted apps (PUAs)

    Quote Originally Posted by 3dcandy View Post
    Just go in and turn it off then? It's not hard
    The point is I shouldn't NEED to go and turn it off because someone else has arbitrarily decided it should be turned on, I should be asked if I want it turned on (with clear, simple explanation as to the benefits), not just assumed that I'm ok with it being turned on. It's not like they haven't had 'pop ups' when new things have been added/changed before.


    Quote Originally Posted by Tabbykatze View Post
    Ahhh, no this is very certainly not leading down to "forcing use of MS Store"
    I said one step closer, and if you look at the longer/larger picture it arguably is because they'll continue using 'security and safety' as a reason for locking stuff down bit by bit until we have no other way of getting stuff on our pc's except via their store. MS aren't blind to the 'money' that can be made via a locked in infrastructure similar to iOS, especially with their market share etc, the OS isn't where the money is anymore, it's the stuff we add/use on that OS.

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    Re: Windows 10 starts to auto-block unwanted apps (PUAs)

    Drats, I thought this would allow you to flag Windows bundled poopware and disable it, shame...

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    Re: Windows 10 starts to auto-block unwanted apps (PUAs)

    Ah , I'm streets ahead of Microsoft. Got a big button on my PC to turn it off , can't do anything with it , load anything , even better they can't get at it. Lol.

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    Re: Windows 10 starts to auto-block unwanted apps (PUAs)

    Quote Originally Posted by LSG501 View Post
    I said one step closer, and if you look at the longer/larger picture it arguably is because they'll continue using 'security and safety' as a reason for locking stuff down bit by bit until we have no other way of getting stuff on our pc's except via their store. MS aren't blind to the 'money' that can be made via a locked in infrastructure similar to iOS, especially with their market share etc, the OS isn't where the money is anymore, it's the stuff we add/use on that OS.
    I'm struggling to see your perspective on why this is "one step closer", this feature of PUA detection and removal has been a staple part of Anti-Virus software for almost a decade and it has genuinely amazed me it's not enabled on Defender by default like it generally is on many other AV vendors.

    So no, I am confident that this conspiracy has no legs at all considering they are bringing their AV tool provided packaged with windows closer to the same base level as their competitors. That and if you install your own AV software, Defender is disabled and all that's left is standard Windows Smartscreen. The question arises if this is left automatically enabled once AV software is installed which I would need to test because then it would be an annoyance having two applications performing the same tasks (which is why Defender is disabled when an appropriate AV is installed).

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    Re: Windows 10 starts to auto-block unwanted apps (PUAs)

    I'm not known as being the greatest fan of MS recently, but I'm kind-of onboard with this one.

    The problem, IMHO, is that it's hard to do a "one size fits all" option for this kind of thing. Personally, my preference is "ask me before blocking". Or perhaps better is, block, then ask me to confirm. And that'd probably be the case for most users of a forum like this. But a lot of users, including many home users and more than a few less than tech-savvy business users, are going to panic on seeing a scary-looking message about a form of security risk. Or, will ignore and override, not realising the danger.

    Maybe in the future this might become a "nanny MS knows best" but it certainly isn't that yet, and I think it's probably better to target the default at the non-savvy because more clued in users are better suited to decide for themselves and go either turn it off, or set exclusions.

    They certainly could, though, have done a better job of notifying people that this going to happen, so thanks to Hexus for pointing it out. It probably explains a cryptic message the wife saw earlier today on her work laptop, that disappeared before she could either call me, or even read it properly.
    Last edited by Saracen999; 16-08-2021 at 10:13 AM. Reason: tpyo
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    Re: Windows 10 starts to auto-block unwanted apps (PUAs)

    This is a good change to make, and isn't a step in the wrong direction at all.

    You, as an end user can override this at the point of the download triggering or trying to open the application (depending on what point you reach) - you have to click through a few warning boxes, but ultimately it's your choice. Most windows users do not understand technology or IT to any large degree, and this sort of feature would have saved me many hours of fixing relatives machines every year.

    I would also wager that most users will never even know this settings exists or need to for that matter.

    Microsoft are not stupid enough to force everyone to use windows store, or to even just make it very difficult to not use it, with their GA versions of windows. They know full well that their USP right now is software compatibility and pretty much nothing else - so take that away and you don't have much left to sell...I think we're many years away from a walled off approach to windows being the main thing, although I do think they will push in that direction it's more likely to be through dedicated versions of Windows along the lines of RT.

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    Re: Windows 10 starts to auto-block unwanted apps (PUAs)

    I really can't see the fuss. Another damned if they do damned if they don't. To override it you have to click through a few warnings, and for 99% of users it's better that way.

    This will never make you have to use the Windows Store as pointed out. That just wouldn't work, as pointed out again....

    Us Hexites are NOT average users. There are literally hundreds of millions of other users that this will benefit
    Old puter - still good enuff till I save some pennies!

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    Re: Windows 10 starts to auto-block unwanted apps (PUAs)

    Quote Originally Posted by Tabbykatze View Post
    I'm struggling to see your perspective on why this is "one step closer", this feature of PUA detection and removal has been a staple part of Anti-Virus software for almost a decade and it has genuinely amazed me it's not enabled on Defender by default like it generally is on many other AV vendors.

    So no, I am confident that this conspiracy has no legs at all considering they are bringing their AV tool provided packaged with windows closer to the same base level as their competitors. That and if you install your own AV software, Defender is disabled and all that's left is standard Windows Smartscreen. The question arises if this is left automatically enabled once AV software is installed which I would need to test because then it would be an annoyance having two applications performing the same tasks (which is why Defender is disabled when an appropriate AV is installed).
    Personally I'm sticking with my view especially with how many false positives I've had and the frankly annoying (and arguably lacking in real information) process of allowing stuff in defender so we'll just have to disagree and see where the future goes. I still would like a choice before they make changes like this and that is the bigger issue to me personally.

    Either way hopefully it won't be abused to block things like EdgeDeflector which overrides the 'forced' use of edge from things like the built in mail app and could arguably be seen as a bit of software that has 'taken over' your pc.

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