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www/proprietary malware-microsoft.html malware-...
|
From: |
Fabio Pesari |
|
Subject: |
www/proprietary malware-microsoft.html malware-... |
|
Date: |
Fri, 26 Jun 2015 18:17:57 +0000 |
CVSROOT: /web/www
Module name: www
Changes by: Fabio Pesari <fabiop> 15/06/26 18:17:57
Modified files:
proprietary : malware-microsoft.html malware-apple.html
malware-mobiles.html
malware-kindle-swindle.html
proprietary-surveillance.html
Log message:
Updated proprietary/ section [RT #1024013]
CVSWeb URLs:
http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/www/proprietary/malware-microsoft.html?cvsroot=www&r1=1.5&r2=1.6
http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/www/proprietary/malware-apple.html?cvsroot=www&r1=1.1&r2=1.2
http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/www/proprietary/malware-mobiles.html?cvsroot=www&r1=1.1&r2=1.2
http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/www/proprietary/malware-kindle-swindle.html?cvsroot=www&r1=1.1&r2=1.2
http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/www/proprietary/proprietary-surveillance.html?cvsroot=www&r1=1.5&r2=1.6
Patches:
Index: malware-microsoft.html
===================================================================
RCS file: /web/www/www/proprietary/malware-microsoft.html,v
retrieving revision 1.5
retrieving revision 1.6
diff -u -b -r1.5 -r1.6
--- malware-microsoft.html 3 Jun 2015 15:01:36 -0000 1.5
+++ malware-microsoft.html 26 Jun 2015 18:17:56 -0000 1.6
@@ -3,10 +3,17 @@
<title>Microsoft's Software Is Malware
- GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title>
<!--#include virtual="/proprietary/po/malware-microsoft.translist" -->
+<style type="text/css" media="print,screen">
+<!--
+#content div.toc li { list-style: none; margin-bottom: 1em; }
+#content div.toc { margin-top: 1em; }
+-->
+</style>
<!--#include virtual="/server/banner.html" -->
+
<h2>Microsoft's Software is Malware</h2>
-<p><a href="/philosophy/proprietary.html">Other examples of proprietary
+<p><a href="https://gnu.org/philosophy/proprietary.html";>Other examples of
proprietary
malware</a></p>
<div class="highlight-para">
@@ -18,9 +25,9 @@
<p>
Malware and nonfree software are two different issues. The difference
-between <a href="/philosophy/free-sw.html">free software</a> and
+between <a href="https://gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html";>free software</a> and
nonfree software is in
-<a href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html">
+<a href="https://gnu.org/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html";>
whether the users have control of the program or vice versa</a>. It's
not directly a question of what the program <em>does</em> when it
runs. However, in practice nonfree software is often malware,
@@ -29,25 +36,39 @@
</p>
</div>
+<div class="toc">
+<div class="malfunctions">
<ul>
- <li><p><a
-
href="http://www.techworm.net/2014/10/microsofts-windows-10-permission-watch-every-move.html";>
- Windows 10 requires users to give permission for total snooping</a>,
- including their files, their commands, their text input, and their
- voice input.</p></li>
- <li><p>Microsoft Windows has a universal back door through which <a
-
href="http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=201806263";>
+<li><strong>Type of malware</strong></li>
+<li><a href="#back-doors">Back doors</a></li>
+<!--<li><a href="#censorship">Censorship</a></li>-->
+<!--<li><a href="#insecurity">Insecurity</a></li>-->
+<li><a href="#sabotage">Sabotage</a></li>
+<li><a href="#surveillance">Surveillance</a></li>
+<li><a href="#drm">Digital restrictions
+ management</a> or “DRM” means functionalities designed
+ to restrict what users can do with the data in their computers.</li>
+<li><a href="#jails">Jails</a>—systems
+ that impose censorship on application programs.</li>
+<li><a href="#tyrants">Tyrants</a>—systems
+ that reject any operating system not “authorized” by the
+ manufacturer.</li>
+</ul>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<h3 id="back-doors">Microsoft Back Doors</h3>
+<ul>
+ <li><p>Microsoft Windows has a universal back door through which <a
href="http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=201806263";>
any change whatsoever can be imposed on the users</a>.</p>
- <p>More information on when <a
- href="http://slated.org/windows_by_stealth_the_updates_you_dont_want";>
+ <p>More information on when <a
href="http://slated.org/windows_by_stealth_the_updates_you_dont_want";>
this was used</a>.</p>
- <p>In Windows 10, the universal back door is no longer hidden; all
“upgrades“ will be
+ <p>In Windows 10, the universal back door is no longer hidden; all
âupgradesâ will be
<a
href="http://www.appy-geek.com/Web/ArticleWeb.aspx?regionid=1&articleid=42633691&source=googleplus";>forcibly
and immediately imposed</a>.</p></li>
- <li><p><a
-
href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/2500036/desktop-apps/microsoft--we-can-remotely-delete-windows-8-apps.html";>
+ <li><p><a
href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/2500036/desktop-apps/microsoft--we-can-remotely-delete-windows-8-apps.html";>
Windows 8 also has a back door for remotely deleting apps</a>.</p>
<p>You might well decide to let a security service that you trust
@@ -55,58 +76,93 @@
But there is no excuse for <em>deleting</em> the programs, and you
should have the right to decide who (if anyone) to trust in this
way.</p></li>
- <li><p>Windows 8's back doors are so gaping that <a
-
href="http://drleonardcoldwell.com/2013/08/23/leaked-german-government-warns-key-entities-not-to-use-windows-8-linked-to-nsa/";>
+ <li><p>Windows 8's back doors are so gaping that <a
href="http://drleonardcoldwell.com/2013/08/23/leaked-german-government-warns-key-entities-not-to-use-windows-8-linked-to-nsa/";>
the German government has decided it can't be trusted</a>.</p></li>
+</ul>
- <li><p><a
-
href="http://www.itworld.com/operating-systems/301057/microsoft-metro-app-store-lockdown";>
- Windows 8 on “mobile devices” is a jail</a>: it censors the
- user's choice of application programs.</p></li>
+<h3 id="sabotage">Microsoft Sabotage</h3>
+<ul>
+ <li><p><a
href="http://blogs.computerworlduk.com/open-enterprise/2013/06/how-can-any-company-ever-trust-microsoft-again/index.htm";>
+ Microsoft informs the NSA of bugs in Windows before fixing them.</a></p></li>
- <li><p><a href="http://fsf.org/campaigns/secure-boot-vs-restricted-boot/";>
- Mobile devices that come with Windows 8 are tyrants</a>: they block
- users from installing other or modified operating systems.</p></li>
+ <li><p><a
href="http://blogs.computerworlduk.com/open-enterprise/2014/04/windows-xp-end-of-an-era-end-of-an-error/index.htm";>
+ Microsoft cut off security fixes for Windows XP, except to some big users
+ that pay exorbitantly.</a></p>
- <li><p><a href="http://arstechnica.com/apple/2007/08/aacs-tentacles/";>
- DRM (digital restrictions mechanisms) in Windows</a>, introduced to
- cater to <a href="/philosophy/proprietary-drm.html#bluray">Bluray</a> disks.
- (The article also talks about how the same malware would later be introduced
- in MacOS.)</p></li>
+ <p>Microsoft is going to
+ <a
href="http://www.computerworlduk.com/news/security/3605515/more-than-half-of-all-ie-users-face-patch-axe-in-10-months/";>
+ cut off support for some Internet Explorer versions</a> in the same way.</p>
+
+ <p>I think a person or company has the right to cease to work on a
+ particular program; the wrong here is Microsoft does this after having
+ made the users dependent on Microsoft, so they are not free to ask
+ someone else to work on the program for them.</p></li>
+</ul>
+
+<h3 id="surveillance">Microsoft Surveillance</h3>
+<ul>
+ <li><p>
+ Microsoft uses Windows 10's "privacy policy" to overtly impose a
+ "right" to look at users' files at any time. Windows 10 full disk
+ encryption <a
href="https://edri.org/microsofts-new-small-print-how-your-personal-data-abused/";>
+ gives Microsoft a key</a>.</p>
+
+ <p>Thus, Windows is overt malware in regard to surveillance,
+ as in other issues.</p>
+
+ <p>We can suppose Microsoft look at users' files for the US government on
+ demand, though the "privacy policy" does not explicit say so. Will it
+ look at users' files for the Chinese government on demand?</p>
+
+ <p>The unique "advertising ID" for each user enables other companies to
+ track the browsing of each specific user.</p>
+
+ <p>It's as if Microsoft has deliberately chosen to make Windows 10
+ maximally evil on every dimeinsion; to make a grab for total power
+ over anyone that doesn't drop Windows now.</p></li>
+
+ <li><p><a
href="http://www.techworm.net/2014/10/microsofts-windows-10-permission-watch-every-move.html";>
+ Windows 10 requires users to give permission for total snooping</a>,
+ including their files, their commands, their text input, and their
+ voice input.</p></li>
- <li>Spyware in Windows: <a
- href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/02/28/windows_update_keeps_tabs/";>
+ <li>Spyware in Windows: <a
href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/02/28/windows_update_keeps_tabs/";>
Windows Update snoops on the user.</a>
- <a
-
href="http://www.infoworld.com/t/microsoft-windows/look-the-black-underbelly-of-windows-81-blue-222175";>
+ <a
href="http://www.infoworld.com/t/microsoft-windows/look-the-black-underbelly-of-windows-81-blue-222175";>
Windows 8.1 snoops on local searches.</a> And there's a
<a href="http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article40836.html";>
secret NSA key in Windows</a>, whose functions we don't know.</li>
- <li><p><a
-
href="http://blogs.computerworlduk.com/open-enterprise/2013/06/how-can-any-company-ever-trust-microsoft-again/index.htm";>
- Microsoft informs the NSA of bugs in Windows before fixing them.</a></p></li>
-
<li><p>
<a
href="http://www.itproportal.com/2014/05/14/microsoft-openly-offered-cloud-data-fbi-and-nsa/";>
Microsoft SkyDrive allows the NSA to directly examine users' data.</a></p>
</li>
+</ul>
- <li><p><a
-
href="http://blogs.computerworlduk.com/open-enterprise/2014/04/windows-xp-end-of-an-era-end-of-an-error/index.htm";>
- Microsoft cut off security fixes for Windows XP, except to some big users
- that pay exorbitantly.</a></p>
+<h3 id="drm">Microsoft DRM</h3>
+<ul>
+ <li><p><a href="http://arstechnica.com/apple/2007/08/aacs-tentacles/";>
+ DRM (digital restrictions mechanisms) in Windows</a>, introduced to
+ cater to <a
href="https://gnu.org/philosophy/proprietary-drm.html#bluray";>Bluray</a> disks.
+ (The article also talks about how the same malware would later be introduced
+ in MacOS.)</p></li>
+</ul>
- <p>Microsoft is going to
- <a
href="http://www.computerworlduk.com/news/security/3605515/more-than-half-of-all-ie-users-face-patch-axe-in-10-months/";>
- cut off support for some Internet Explorer versions</a> in the same
way.</p>
+<h3 id="jails">Microsoft Jails</h3>
+<ul>
+ <li><p><a
href="http://www.itworld.com/operating-systems/301057/microsoft-metro-app-store-lockdown";>
+ Windows 8 on âmobile devicesâ is a jail</a>: it censors the
+ user's choice of application programs.</p></li>
+</ul>
- <p>I think a person or company has the right to cease to work on a
- particular program; the wrong here is Microsoft does this after having
- made the users dependent on Microsoft, so they are not free to ask
- someone else to work on the program for them.</p></li>
+<h3 id="tyrants">Microsoft Tyrants</h3>
+<ul>
+ <li><p><a href="http://fsf.org/campaigns/secure-boot-vs-restricted-boot/";>
+ Mobile devices that come with Windows 8 are tyrants</a>: they block
+ users from installing other or modified operating systems.</p></li>
</ul>
+
<p>As this page shows, if you do want to clean your computer of malware,
the first software to delete is Windows.</p>
@@ -167,7 +223,7 @@
<p class="unprintable">Updated:
<!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2015/06/03 15:01:36 $
+$Date: 2015/06/26 18:17:56 $
<!-- timestamp end -->
</p>
</div>
Index: malware-apple.html
===================================================================
RCS file: /web/www/www/proprietary/malware-apple.html,v
retrieving revision 1.1
retrieving revision 1.2
diff -u -b -r1.1 -r1.2
--- malware-apple.html 15 Apr 2015 13:02:25 -0000 1.1
+++ malware-apple.html 26 Jun 2015 18:17:56 -0000 1.2
@@ -31,8 +31,61 @@
<p>Here's how Apple's systems are malware.</p>
+<div class="toc">
+<div class="malfunctions">
<ul>
+<li><strong>Type of malware</strong></li>
+<li><a href="#back-doors">Back doors</a></li>
+<!--<li><a href="#censorship">Censorship</a></li>-->
+<!--<li><a href="#insecurity">Insecurity</a></li>-->
+<li><a href="#sabotage">Sabotage</a></li>
+<li><a href="#surveillance">Surveillance</a></li>
+<li><a href="#drm">Digital restrictions
+ management</a> or “DRM” means functionalities designed
+ to restrict what users can do with the data in their computers.</li>
+<li><a href="#jails">Jails</a>—systems
+ that impose censorship on application programs.</li>
+<li><a href="#tyrants">Tyrants</a>—systems
+ that reject any operating system not “authorized” by the
+ manufacturer.</li>
+</ul>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<h3 id="back-doors">Apple Back Doors</h3>
+<ul>
+ <li><p>The iPhone has a back door <a
+
href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/3358134/Apples-Jobs-confirms-iPhone-kill-switch.html";>
+ that allows Apple to remotely delete apps</a> which Apple considers
+ “inappropriate”. Jobs said it's OK for Apple to have this
+ power because of course we can trust Apple.</p>
+ </li>
+
+ <li><p>The iPhone has a back door for <a
+
href="http://www.npr.org/2010/11/22/131511381/wipeout-when-your-company-kills-your-iphone";>
+ remote wipe</a>. It's not always enabled, but users are led into
+ enabling it without understanding.</p>
+ </li>
+</ul>
+
+<h3 id="sabotage">Apple Sabotage</h3>
+<ul>
+ <li><p><a
href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/2541250/apple-mac/update--apple-plays-hardball--upgrade--bricks--unlocked-iphones.html";>
+ An Apple firmware “upgrade” bricked iPhones that had been
+ unlocked.</a> The “upgrade” also deactivated applications
+ not approved by <a href="/philosophy/proprietary-jails.html">Apple
+ censorship</a>. All this was apparently intentional.</p>
+ </li>
+ <li><p>Apple
+ <a
href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/dec/04/apple-deleted-music-ipods-rivals-steve-jobs";>
+ deleted from iPods the music that users had got from internet music
+ stores that competed with iTunes</a>.</p>
+ </li>
+</ul>
+
+<h3 id="surveillance">Apple Surveillance</h3>
+<ul>
<li><p><a
href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2014/10/30/how-one-mans-private-files-ended-up-on-apples-icloud-without-his-consent/";>
MacOS automatically sends to Apple servers unsaved documents being
edited</a>. The <a
@@ -70,28 +123,6 @@
more snooping that Apple has not talked about</a>.</p>
</li>
- <li><p><a
href="http://boingboing.net/2010/04/02/why-i-wont-buy-an-ipad-and-think-yo.html";>
- iOS, the operating system of the Apple iThings, is a jail for
- users.</a> That means it imposes censorship of application programs.</p>
-
- <p>Apple has used this power to
- <a
href="http://boingboing.net/2014/02/07/apple-yanks-last-remaining-bit.html";>
- censor all bitcoin apps</a> for the iThings.</p>
-
- <p>Apple, in the iThings, pioneered the practice of general purpose
- computers that are jails, and the term comes from iThing users, who
- referred to escaping from the censorship as “jailbreaking.”</p>
-
- <p>Here is an article about the <a
- href="http://weblog.rogueamoeba.com/2008/03/07/code-signing-and-you/";>
- code signing</a> that the iThings use to jail the user.</p>
- </li>
-
- <li><p>Apple arbitrarily
- <a href="http://9to5mac.com/2014/12/01/ios-8-1-signing-window-closed/";>
- blocks users from installing old versions of iOS</a>.</p>
- </li>
-
<li><p><a
href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jul/23/iphone-backdoors-surveillance-forensic-services";>
Several “features” of iOS seem to exist for no possible
purpose other than surveillance</a>. Here is the <a
@@ -105,14 +136,20 @@
get other info too.</p>
</li>
- <li><p>The iThings are tyrant devices: they do not permit
- installing a different or modified operating system. There is a
- port of Android to the iThings, but installing it
- requires <a href="http://www.idroidproject.org/wiki/Status";>
- finding a bug or “exploit”</a> to make it possible to
- install a different system.</p>
+ <li><p>Apple can, and regularly does, <a
+
href="http://arstechnica.com/apple/2014/05/new-guidelines-outline-what-iphone-data-apple-can-give-to-police/";>
+ remotely extract some data from iPhones for the state</a>.
+ </p>
+ <p>This may have improved with
+ <a
href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/2014/09/17/2612af58-3ed2-11e4-b03f-de718edeb92f_story.html";>
+ iOS 8 security improvements</a>; but
+ <a href="https://firstlook.org/theintercept/?p=5199";>
+ not as much as Apple claims</a>.</p>
</li>
+</ul>
+<h3 id="drm">Apple DRM</h3>
+<ul>
<li><p><a
href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/11/apple-downgrades-macbook-video-drm";>
DRM (digital restrictions mechanisms) in MacOS</a>. This article
@@ -125,50 +162,47 @@
<li><p><a href="http://arstechnica.com/apple/2007/08/aacs-tentacles/";>
DRM that caters to Bluray disks</a>. (The article focused on Windows
and said that MacOS would do the same thing subsequently.)</p></li>
+</ul>
- <li><p>The iPhone has a back door <a
-
href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/3358134/Apples-Jobs-confirms-iPhone-kill-switch.html";>
- that allows Apple to remotely delete apps</a> which Apple considers
- “inappropriate”. Jobs said it's OK for Apple to have this
- power because of course we can trust Apple.</p>
- </li>
-
- <li><p>The iPhone has a back door for <a
-
href="http://www.npr.org/2010/11/22/131511381/wipeout-when-your-company-kills-your-iphone";>
- remote wipe</a>. It's not always enabled, but users are led into
- enabling it without understanding.</p>
- </li>
+<h3 id="jails">Apple Jails</h3>
+<ul>
+ <li><p><a
href="http://boingboing.net/2010/04/02/why-i-wont-buy-an-ipad-and-think-yo.html";>
+ iOS, the operating system of the Apple iThings, is a jail for
+ users.</a> That means it imposes censorship of application programs.</p>
- <li><p><a
href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/2541250/apple-mac/update--apple-plays-hardball--upgrade--bricks--unlocked-iphones.html";>
- An Apple firmware “upgrade” bricked iPhones that had been
- unlocked.</a> The “upgrade” also deactivated applications
- not approved by <a href="/philosophy/proprietary-jails.html">Apple
- censorship</a>. All this was apparently intentional.</p>
- </li>
+ <p>Apple has used this power to
+ <a
href="http://boingboing.net/2014/02/07/apple-yanks-last-remaining-bit.html";>
+ censor all bitcoin apps</a> for the iThings.</p>
- <li><p>Apple can, and regularly does, <a
-
href="http://arstechnica.com/apple/2014/05/new-guidelines-outline-what-iphone-data-apple-can-give-to-police/";>
- remotely extract some data from iPhones for the state</a>.
- </p>
- <p>This may have improved with
- <a
href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/2014/09/17/2612af58-3ed2-11e4-b03f-de718edeb92f_story.html";>
- iOS 8 security improvements</a>; but
- <a href="https://firstlook.org/theintercept/?p=5199";>
- not as much as Apple claims</a>.</p>
- </li>
+ <p>Apple, in the iThings, pioneered the practice of general purpose
+ computers that are jails, and the term comes from iThing users, who
+ referred to escaping from the censorship as “jailbreaking.”</p>
- <li><p>Apple
- <a
href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/dec/04/apple-deleted-music-ipods-rivals-steve-jobs";>
- deleted from iPods the music that users had got from internet music
- stores that competed with iTunes</a>.</p>
+ <p>Here is an article about the <a
+ href="http://weblog.rogueamoeba.com/2008/03/07/code-signing-and-you/";>
+ code signing</a> that the iThings use to jail the user.</p>
</li>
<li><p><a
href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/dec/11/papers-please-game-ipad-nude-body-scans";>
More examples of Apple's arbitrary and inconsistent censorship</a>.</p>
</li>
-
</ul>
+<h3 id="tyrants">Apple Tyrants</h3>
+<ul>
+ <li><p>Apple arbitrarily
+ <a href="http://9to5mac.com/2014/12/01/ios-8-1-signing-window-closed/";>
+ blocks users from installing old versions of iOS</a>.</p>
+ </li>
+
+ <li><p>The iThings are tyrant devices: they do not permit
+ installing a different or modified operating system. There is a
+ port of Android to the iThings, but installing it
+ requires <a href="http://www.idroidproject.org/wiki/Status";>
+ finding a bug or “exploit”</a> to make it possible to
+ install a different system.</p>
+ </li>
+</ul>
</div><!-- for id="content", starts in the include above -->
<!--#include virtual="/server/footer.html" -->
@@ -227,7 +261,7 @@
<p class="unprintable">Updated:
<!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2015/04/15 13:02:25 $
+$Date: 2015/06/26 18:17:56 $
<!-- timestamp end -->
</p>
</div>
Index: malware-mobiles.html
===================================================================
RCS file: /web/www/www/proprietary/malware-mobiles.html,v
retrieving revision 1.1
retrieving revision 1.2
diff -u -b -r1.1 -r1.2
--- malware-mobiles.html 15 Apr 2015 13:02:32 -0000 1.1
+++ malware-mobiles.html 26 Jun 2015 18:17:56 -0000 1.2
@@ -3,12 +3,19 @@
<title>Malware in Mobile Devices
- GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title>
<!--#include virtual="/proprietary/po/malware-mobiles.translist" -->
+<style type="text/css" media="print,screen">
+<!--
+#content div.toc li { list-style: none; margin-bottom: 1em; }
+#content div.toc { margin-top: 1em; }
+-->
+</style>
<!--#include virtual="/server/banner.html" -->
<h2>Malware in Mobile Devices</h2>
<a href="/philosophy/proprietary.html">Other examples of proprietary
malware</a>
+<div class="highlight-para">
<p>
<em>Malware</em> means software designed to function in ways that
mistreat or harm the user. (This does not include accidental errors.)
@@ -25,27 +32,35 @@
the developer's awareness that the users would be powerless to fix any
malicious functionalities tempts the developer to impose some.
</p>
+</div>
<p>Here are examples of malware in mobile devices. See also
the <a href="/philosophy/malware-apple.html">the Apple malware
page</a> for malicious functionalities specific to the Apple iThings.</p>
+<div class="toc">
+<div class="malfunctions">
<ul>
- <li><p>Many proprietary apps for mobile devices report which other
- apps the user has
- installed. <a
href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/11/26/twitter-app-graph/";>Twitter
- is doing this in a way that at least is visible and
- optional</a>. Not as bad as what the others do.</p>
- </li>
-
- <li><p>Portable phones with GPS will send their GPS location on remote
- command and users cannot stop them: <a
-
href="http://www.aclu.org/government-location-tracking-cell-phones-gps-devices-and-license-plate-readers";>
-
http://www.aclu.org/government-location-tracking-cell-phones-gps-devices-and-license-plate-readers</a>.
- (The US says it will eventually require all new portable phones to have
- GPS.)</p>
- </li>
+<li><strong>Type of malware</strong></li>
+<li><a href="#back-doors">Back doors</a></li>
+<!--<li><a href="#censorship">Censorship</a></li>-->
+<li><a href="#insecurity">Insecurity</a></li>
+<!--<li><a href="#sabotage">Sabotage</a></li>-->
+<li><a href="#surveillance">Surveillance</a></li>
+<!--<li><a href="#drm">Digital restrictions
+ management</a> or “DRM” means functionalities designed
+ to restrict what users can do with the data in their computers.</li>-->
+<li><a href="#jails">Jails</a>—systems
+ that impose censorship on application programs.</li>
+<li><a href="#tyrants">Tyrants</a>—systems
+ that reject any operating system not “authorized” by the
+ manufacturer.</li>
+</ul>
+</div>
+</div>
+<h3 id="back-doors">Mobile Back Doors</h3>
+<ul>
<li><p>Most mobile phones have a universal back door, which has been
used to <a
href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/07/22/nsa_can_reportedly_track_cellphones_even_when_they_re_turned_off.html";>
@@ -58,6 +73,39 @@
device.</p>
</li>
+ <li><p><a href="/philosophy/proprietary/proprietary-back-doors.html#samsung">
+ Samsung's back door</a> provides access to any file on the system.</p>
+ </li>
+
+ <li>
+ <p>In Android, <a
+
href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/2506557/security0/google-throws--kill-switch--on-android-phones.html";>
+ Google has a back door to remotely delete apps.</a> (It is in a program
+ called GTalkService).
+ </p>
+
+ <p>
+ Google can
+ also <a
href="https://jon.oberheide.org/blog/2010/06/25/remote-kill-and-install-on-google-android/";>forcibly
+ and remotely install apps</a> through GTalkService (which seems, since
+ that article, to have been merged into Google Play). This adds up to
+ a universal back door.
+ </p>
+
+ <p>
+ Although Google's <em>exercise</em> of this power has not been
+ malicious so far, the point is that nobody should have such power,
+ which could also be used maliciously. You might well decide to let a
+ security service remotely <em>deactivate</em> programs that it
+ considers malicious. But there is no excuse for allowing it
+ to <em>delete</em> the programs, and you should have the right to
+ decide who (if anyone) to trust in this way.
+ </p>
+ </li>
+</ul>
+
+<h3 id="insecurity">Mobile Insecurity</h3>
+<ul>
<li><p><a
href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/privacy-scandal-nsa-can-spy-on-smart-phone-data-a-920971.html";>
The NSA can tap data in smart phones, including iPhones, Android, and
BlackBerry</a>. While there is not much detail here, it seems that this
@@ -66,6 +114,24 @@
<a
href="http://www.osnews.com/story/27416/The_second_operating_system_hiding_in_every_mobile_phone";>
lots of bugs in the phones' radio software</a>.</p>
</li>
+</ul>
+
+<h3 id="surveillance">Mobile Surveillance</h3>
+<ul>
+ <li><p>Many proprietary apps for mobile devices report which other
+ apps the user has
+ installed. <a
href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/11/26/twitter-app-graph/";>Twitter
+ is doing this in a way that at least is visible and
+ optional</a>. Not as bad as what the others do.</p>
+ </li>
+
+ <li><p>Portable phones with GPS will send their GPS location on remote
+ command and users cannot stop them: <a
+
href="http://www.aclu.org/government-location-tracking-cell-phones-gps-devices-and-license-plate-readers";>
+
http://www.aclu.org/government-location-tracking-cell-phones-gps-devices-and-license-plate-readers</a>.
+ (The US says it will eventually require all new portable phones to have
+ GPS.)</p>
+ </li>
<li><p>Spyware in Cisco TNP IP phones: <a
href="http://boingboing.net/2012/12/29/your-cisco-phone-is-listening.html";>
@@ -98,42 +164,10 @@
<p>Don't be distracted by the question of whether the app developers get
users to say “I agree”. That is no excuse for malware.</p>
</li>
+</ul>
- <li><p><a href="/philosophy/proprietary/proprietary-back-doors.html#samsung">
- Samsung's back door</a> provides access to any file on the system.</p>
- </li>
-
- <li>
- <p>In Android, <a
-
href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/2506557/security0/google-throws--kill-switch--on-android-phones.html";>
- Google has a back door to remotely delete apps.</a> (It is in a program
- called GTalkService).
- </p>
-
- <p>
- Google can
- also <a
href="https://jon.oberheide.org/blog/2010/06/25/remote-kill-and-install-on-google-android/";>forcibly
- and remotely install apps</a> through GTalkService (which seems, since
- that article, to have been merged into Google Play). This adds up to
- a universal back door.
- </p>
-
- <p>
- Although Google's <em>exercise</em> of this power has not been
- malicious so far, the point is that nobody should have such power,
- which could also be used maliciously. You might well decide to let a
- security service remotely <em>deactivate</em> programs that it
- considers malicious. But there is no excuse for allowing it
- to <em>delete</em> the programs, and you should have the right to
- decide who (if anyone) to trust in this way.
- </p>
- </li>
-
- <li><p><a
href="http://blog.azimuthsecurity.com/2013/04/unlocking-motorola-bootloader.html";>
- Some Android phones are tyrants</a> (though someone found a way to crack
- the restriction). Fortunately, most Android devices are not tyrants.</p>
- </li>
-
+<h3 id="jails">Mobile Jails</h3>
+<ul>
<li><p><a href="http://fsf.org/campaigns/secure-boot-vs-restricted-boot/";>
Mobile devices that come with Windows 8 are tyrants</a>. <a
href="http://www.itworld.com/operating-systems/301057/microsoft-metro-app-store-lockdown";>
@@ -141,6 +175,13 @@
</li>
</ul>
+<h3 id="tyrants">Mobile Tyrants</h3>
+<ul>
+ <li><p><a
href="http://blog.azimuthsecurity.com/2013/04/unlocking-motorola-bootloader.html";>
+ Some Android phones are tyrants</a> (though someone found a way to crack
+ the restriction). Fortunately, most Android devices are not tyrants.</p>
+ </li>
+</ul>
</div><!-- for id="content", starts in the include above -->
<!--#include virtual="/server/footer.html" -->
<div id="footer">
@@ -198,7 +239,7 @@
<p class="unprintable">Updated:
<!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2015/04/15 13:02:32 $
+$Date: 2015/06/26 18:17:56 $
<!-- timestamp end -->
</p>
</div>
Index: malware-kindle-swindle.html
===================================================================
RCS file: /web/www/www/proprietary/malware-kindle-swindle.html,v
retrieving revision 1.1
retrieving revision 1.2
diff -u -b -r1.1 -r1.2
--- malware-kindle-swindle.html 15 Apr 2015 13:02:28 -0000 1.1
+++ malware-kindle-swindle.html 26 Jun 2015 18:17:56 -0000 1.2
@@ -3,6 +3,12 @@
<title>Malware in the Kindle Swindle
- GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title>
<!--#include virtual="/proprietary/po/malware-kindle-swindle.translist" -->
+<style type="text/css" media="print,screen">
+<!--
+#content div.toc li { list-style: none; margin-bottom: 1em; }
+#content div.toc { margin-top: 1em; }
+-->
+</style>
<!--#include virtual="/server/banner.html" -->
<h2>Malware in the Kindle Swindle</h2>
@@ -14,6 +20,7 @@
management (DRM)</a> and <a href="/philosophy/ebooks.html">
other malicious functionalities</a>.</p>
+<div class="highlight-para">
<p>
Malware and nonfree software are two different issues. Malware means
the program is designed to mistreat or harm users when it runs. The
@@ -26,7 +33,30 @@
the developer's awareness that the users would be powerless to fix any
malicious functionalities tempts the developer to impose some.
</p>
+</div>
+<div class="toc">
+<div class="malfunctions">
+<ul>
+<li><strong>Type of malware</strong></li>
+<li><a href="#back-doors">Back doors</a></li>
+<!--<li><a href="#censorship">Censorship</a></li>-->
+<!--<li><a href="#insecurity">Insecurity</a></li>-->
+<!--<li><a href="#sabotage">Sabotage</a></li>-->
+<li><a href="#surveillance">Surveillance</a></li>
+<li><a href="#drm">Digital restrictions
+ management</a> or “DRM” means functionalities designed
+ to restrict what users can do with the data in their computers.</li>
+<!--<li><a href="#jails">Jails</a>—systems
+ that impose censorship on application programs.</li>-->
+<!--<li><a href="#tyrants">Tyrants</a>—systems
+ that reject any operating system not “authorized” by the
+ manufacturer.</li>-->
+</ul>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<h3 id="back-doors">Amazon Kindle Swindle Back Doors</h3>
<ul>
<li><p>The Amazon Kindle has a back door that has been used to <a
href="http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/17/some-e-books-are-more-equal-than-others/";>
@@ -39,7 +69,17 @@
<p>Amazon <a
href="https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150321/13350230396/while-bricking-jailbroken-fire-tvs-last-year-amazon-did-same-to-kindle-devices.shtml";>
downgraded the software in users' Swindles</a>
so that those already rooted would cease to function at all.</p></li>
+</ul>
+
+<h3 id="surveillance">Amazon Kindle Swindle Surveillance</h3>
+<ul>
+ <li><p>The Electronic Frontier Foundation has examined and found <a
+ href="https://www.eff.org/pages/reader-privacy-chart-2012";>various kinds of
+ surveillance in the Swindle and other e-readers</a>.</p></li>
+</ul>
+<h3 id="drm">Amazon Kindle Swindle DRM</h3>
+<ul>
<li><p><a href="http://science.opposingviews.com/kindle-drm-17841.html";>
The Amazon Kindle has DRM</a>. That article is flawed in that it
fails to treat DRM as an ethical question; it takes for granted that
@@ -47,10 +87,6 @@
as digital “rights” management, which is the spin term
used to promote DRM. Nonetheless it serves as a reference for the
facts.</p></li>
-
- <li><p>The Electronic Frontier Foundation has examined and found <a
- href="https://www.eff.org/pages/reader-privacy-chart-2012";>various kinds of
- surveillance in the Swindle and other e-readers</a>.</p></li>
</ul>
</div><!-- for id="content", starts in the include above -->
@@ -110,7 +146,7 @@
<p class="unprintable">Updated:
<!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2015/04/15 13:02:28 $
+$Date: 2015/06/26 18:17:56 $
<!-- timestamp end -->
</p>
</div>
Index: proprietary-surveillance.html
===================================================================
RCS file: /web/www/www/proprietary/proprietary-surveillance.html,v
retrieving revision 1.5
retrieving revision 1.6
diff -u -b -r1.5 -r1.6
--- proprietary-surveillance.html 30 May 2015 22:55:20 -0000 1.5
+++ proprietary-surveillance.html 26 Jun 2015 18:17:57 -0000 1.6
@@ -99,6 +99,26 @@
</div>
<ul>
+ <li><p>
+ Microsoft uses Windows 10's "privacy policy" to overtly impose a
+ "right" to look at users' files at any time. Windows 10 full disk
+ encryption <a
href="https://edri.org/microsofts-new-small-print-how-your-personal-data-abused/";>
+ gives Microsoft a key</a>.</p>
+
+ <p>Thus, Windows is overt malware in regard to surveillance,
+ as in other issues.</p>
+
+ <p>We can suppose Microsoft look at users' files for the US government on
+ demand, though the "privacy policy" does not explicit say so. Will it
+ look at users' files for the Chinese government on demand?</p>
+
+ <p>The unique "advertising ID" for each user enables other companies to
+ track the browsing of each specific user.</p>
+
+ <p>It's as if Microsoft has deliberately chosen to make Windows 10
+ maximally evil on every dimeinsion; to make a grab for total power
+ over anyone that doesn't drop Windows now.</p></li>
+
<li><p>It only gets worse with time.
<a
href="http://www.techworm.net/2014/10/microsofts-windows-10-permission-watch-every-move.html";>
Windows 10 requires users to give permission for total snooping</a>,
@@ -106,10 +126,6 @@
voice input.</p>
</li>
- <li><p><a
href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/02/28/windows_update_keeps_tabs/";>
- Windows Update snoops on the user.</a></p>
- </li>
-
<li><p><a
href="http://www.infoworld.com/t/microsoft-windows/look-the-black-underbelly-of-windows-81-blue-222175";>
Windows 8.1 snoops on local searches.</a>.</p>
</li>
@@ -120,7 +136,8 @@
</li>
</ul>
-<p>There's a lot more <a href="/philosophy/proprietary/malware-microsoft.html">
+<p>Microsoft's snooping on users did not start with Windows 10.
+ There's a lot more <a href="/philosophy/proprietary/malware-microsoft.html">
Microsoft malware</a>.</p>
@@ -635,7 +652,7 @@
<p class="unprintable">Updated:
<!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2015/05/30 22:55:20 $
+$Date: 2015/06/26 18:17:57 $
<!-- timestamp end -->
</p>
</div>
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