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    How to block in Windows10 Telemetry with pfsense

    Firewalling
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    • N
      n3by
      last edited by

      Do you have that w7 w8.1 update nr ?

      If is not marked as security then can be uninstalled if by mistake somebody installed.

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      • R
        robi
        last edited by

        Thank God I already switched my machines to Linux.
        To be really honest, I really don't see any difference while using it. I was perfectly able to switch over all my workflows to Ubuntu Mate.

        Win7 is still there "dormant" on the disk as the installs are dual-boot at the moment, but if I'll be able to sustain the Linux desktop the way it is, absolutely frustrationless for about 2-3 months, I'll be surely deleting the Windows partition to reclaim the space.

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        • R
          robi
          last edited by

          @KOM:

          A centralized solution would be best.

          Agree, but that would be very hard to accomplish, because at a central location, it will be very hard to distinguish between useful traffic and and Microsoft telemetry traffic.
          I guess they were smart enough to bypass simple firewall rules by frequently changing CDN IPs and addresses.

          And local solutions installed on Windows 10s themselves are not trustful.

          So, the only real solution is to either:
          a) don't upgrade to Windows 10
          b) switch over to something else

          Of course the fact that all this telemetry was deployed to Win7 and Win8 engraves the situation. Hopefully it can be uninstalled somehow.

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • R
            robi
            last edited by

            @n3by:

            Do you have that w7 w8.1 update nr ?

            http://www.infoworld.com/article/2911609/operating-systems/kb-2952664-compatibility-update-for-win7-triggers-unexpected-daily-telemetry-run-may-be-snooping.html
            https://www.reddit.com/r/pcmasterrace/comments/3g7hr0/removing_telemetry_from_windows_7_and_8x/

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • KOMK
              KOM
              last edited by

              Thank God I already switched my machines to Linux.

              I've been contemplating that for 10+ years, but there was always a reliance on special software that I couldn't get for Linux.  Now that I don't do a lot of desktop stuff at home anymore, I'm thinking now might be the time to dump Win10 and go with Mint Cinnamon.

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • R
                robi
                last edited by

                You can find equivalent programs under Linux for most of the daily tasks. No to little effort is required to switch over.
                There could be though very special industrial apps which were made for Windows-only, that's true. But for the regular home user, Linux is a perfect alternative.

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                • KOMK
                  KOM
                  last edited by

                  I've been adminning Linux boxes for more than a decade so I'm generally aware of what's available.  For me, the showstoppers were always a decent money-management app (eg. Quicken, MS Money), a good Usenet browser (eg. Newsleecher, Forte Agent) and a decent RSS reader (eg. Feeddemon, QuiteRSS).  Nowadays I don't use a money app, Usenet indexers have removed the need for an NNTP browser, and there are several decent RSS readers for Linux.  I really should have thought of this 2 weeks ago before I spent a weekend doing the Windows 10 thing.

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                  • F
                    foresthus
                    last edited by

                    @KOM:

                    A centralized solution would be best.  If you're going to go local, why not just use one of the many utils already out there?

                    http://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10

                    http://pxc-coding.com/portfolio/donotspy10/

                    Do not use that, you cannot go back without using a " restore point".

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • N
                      n3by
                      last edited by

                      have a look here:

                      https://github.com/WindowsLies/BlockWindows

                      http://www.ghacks.net/2015/08/28/microsoft-intensifies-data-collection-on-windows-7-and-8-systems/

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                      • KOMK
                        KOM
                        last edited by

                        Do not use that, you cannot go back without using a "  restore point".

                        ShutUp10 will prompt you to let it create one before it applies its changes.  I didn't bother as I can't see any scenario where I would need to undo that stuff.

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                        • S
                          Sea Monkey
                          last edited by

                          Please forgive me.  I'm a bit of a noob.  Do these look right?

                          ![allow update.PNG](/public/imported_attachments/1/allow update.PNG)
                          ![allow update.PNG_thumb](/public/imported_attachments/1/allow update.PNG_thumb)
                          ![block telemetry.PNG](/public/imported_attachments/1/block telemetry.PNG)
                          ![block telemetry.PNG_thumb](/public/imported_attachments/1/block telemetry.PNG_thumb)

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • N
                            n3by
                            last edited by

                            yes it looks ok.

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • KOMK
                              KOM
                              last edited by

                              Your pass rule isn't required unless you've really locked down your LAN.  By default, LAN has full access out to everywhere.

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                              • N
                                n3by
                                last edited by

                                yes it is required because other way update destinations will be blocked from Blocked rule that have these destinations included in case you don't want to allow update.

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                                • KOMK
                                  KOM
                                  last edited by

                                  yes it is required because other way update destinations will be blocked from Blocked rule that have these destinations included in case you don't want to allow update.

                                  Huh?  Windows Update domains shouldn't be included in your telemetry alias.

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                                  • N
                                    n3by
                                    last edited by

                                    some people want to block everyhing because MS can deliver an "security update" that will install telemetry and also use update hosts to get data from computer so this way is better, at least for me to have updates (allow only updates-block everything).

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • KOMK
                                      KOM
                                      last edited by

                                      I still don't see how this is a good solution.  Are you literally whitelisting every destination address you want access to and blocking everything else on the Internet?  Because MS can spin up a zillion new domains on a whim.

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                                      • N
                                        n3by
                                        last edited by

                                        MS can do whatever they want, but they must be able to make your computer to talk with any new domains ( and they can do this only with an allowed to install update ).
                                        If now you block the telemetry C&C servers, there is no other way your computer will know to talk with new domains until you will install that update.

                                        This is what we have for now, if we have another better way please elaborate ( except unplug the cable, stop using MS OS… ).

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                                        • R
                                          robi
                                          last edited by

                                          @n3by:

                                          yes it looks ok.

                                          It's not ok as per your description, because it's a pass rule, not a block rule.

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                                          • R
                                            robi
                                            last edited by

                                            @KOM:

                                            yes it is required because other way update destinations will be blocked from Blocked rule that have these destinations included in case you don't want to allow update.

                                            Huh?  Windows Update domains shouldn't be included in your telemetry alias.

                                            Which are the Windows Update domains, btw?

                                            I found these:

                                            windowsupdate.microsoft.com	 
                                            update.microsoft.com	 
                                            windowsupdate.com	 
                                            download.windowsupdate.com	 
                                            wustat.windows.com	 
                                            ntservicepack.microsoft.com	 
                                            

                                            Are there any others?

                                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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