Spybot Anti-Beacon for Windows 10

Discussion in 'other anti-malware software' started by ArchiveX, Aug 20, 2015.

  1. ArchiveX

    ArchiveX Registered Member

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    Safer Networking, the developers of Spybot have released a new tool fro Windows 10,
    called Spybot Anti-Beacon, that allows Windows 10 users to immunize their computers
    and changes settings, so that Windows 10 phones home less.



    Concerns have been raised about Windows 10 privacy settings,
    with users fearing rightly or wrongly that Windows 10 collects a lot of data, which it send home to Microsoft.
    Seeing that there was currently no good tool which can safely disable tracking in Windows 10,
    Spybot decided to release this tool.


    Seeing the bunch of incomplete or broken scripts to disable tracking in Windows 10,
    and the tools that install adware or worse in exchange for their function,
    we wrapped disabling tracking up in a small tool that’s free and clean, says Spybot.


    The tool unfortunately does not give you the option to select the feature/s that you may want to disable.
    If you wish to reverse the changes, click Undo, or go back to the created system restore point.


    Spybot Anti-Beacon for Windows 10 (by thewindowsclub)
     
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  3. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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    Seems weak in comparison to the aforementioned O&O ShutUp10 & DoNotSpy10.
     
  4. J_L

    J_L Registered Member

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    This is getting ridiculours.... Like as in 10 articles/software dealing with the same problem all cropping up within 2 weeks!
     
  5. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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    M$ don't care. They're enough sheep out there.
     
  6. JRViejo

    JRViejo Super Moderator

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    I downloaded the Spybot Anti-Beacon portable version to see what it would find, and I urge caution when using this tool. This is what it found:

    2015-09-17_113404.png

    The CEIP Scheduled Tasks section states "3 out of 5 blocked" but it doesn't tell you anything, until one clicks the Show Options button, then you still don't know which ones are blocked or not. I needed to use Task Scheduler to see what was still unblocked. Telemetry Hosts doesn't show anything, even in Show Options mode, yet it's checked. You'll find some info in the Log tab details:

    2015-09-17_113439.png

    I went looking for these 4 entries in the Hosts file. Well, 2 of them are for Wilders Security, and the other two are for my business ISP and Web Mail. Should one immunize the Telemetry Hosts, there would be issues.

    Bottom line: do research every item shown prior to clicking that Immunize button!
     
  7. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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    Thanks. Over the years SSD has put out weaker & weaker versions. Laziness & resting on their laurels.
     
  8. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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    Has anyone successfully used this tool on Win 8? Is it without any risk? I don't want to break things.
     
  9. Hiltihome

    Hiltihome Registered Member

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  10. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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  11. Hiltihome

    Hiltihome Registered Member

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    Well,
    most of the SAB functions are not relevant to WIN7 and WIN8.
    The others I rate questionable...
    Using SAB can cause side-effects, possibly long after use.
    I will not use SAB on customers machines.

    GWX-Control-Panel is able to remove telemetry functions from WIN7/8, that where not part of the OS, before GWX campaign started.
    It does not mess around with functions and setting, that where part of WIN7/8 before GWX.
    It has not side-effects and is safe to use.

    Settings done with GWX-Control-Panel are part of my reference WIN7 installation, that has been deployed more than 100 times.
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2016
  12. ExtremeGamerBR

    ExtremeGamerBR Registered Member

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    I use it for a while and I have no complaints. Simple and functional. I tested several others, but I found it the most well balanced.
     
  13. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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    Yes I know, but apparently it can still disable some of the telemetry stuff in Win 8. To be honest, AFAIK I already blocked all of the phoning home via the Windows Firewall. But can you perhaps post screenshots of GWX-Control-Panel, because this is starting to become a mystery, I really don't see any setting related to disabling telemetry.

    OK but did you use it on Win 8? I'm a bit paranoid since months ago I had to reinstall my OS after messing around with services and Windows Tasks.
     
  14. Hiltihome

    Hiltihome Registered Member

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    My screenshot shows the status of my immunized WIN8.1
    The marked button is grayed out, because it was already pressed.
    https://abload.de/img/gwx-control-panelzrrdb.jpg

    Using this function removes the compatibility telemetry and the enhanced user-experience telemetry,
    that was installed by MS, to prepare WIN10 upgrade.
    It does not remove error reporting, and other functions, that where there before the annoying GWX campaign started.

    I do not recommend to fiddle with default services and related setting. In almost all cases You gain nothing, but harm Your OS.
    Sometimes You may wonder what causes an issue, long after tuning was done...

    Speaking so is based on more than 15 years of doing support and repair on customers machines.
     
  15. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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    When I run the tool I can't press that button, and besides, it refers to Win 10. So it doesn't seem to be as user friendly and clear as Spybot Anti-Beacon. I do agree about not messing around with certain system settings.
     
  16. ExtremeGamerBR

    ExtremeGamerBR Registered Member

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    No, I don't. I only tested it on Win 10. No problems at all.
     
  17. Hiltihome

    Hiltihome Registered Member

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    The lettering on that button is somewhat misleading. It should be "Click to remove WIN10 upgrade preparation programs"
    If the button is grayed out, You most likely do not have the critical components installed on Your machine.

    That button is definitive for WIN7 and WIN8 users, that are already "infected"
     
  18. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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    In other words, SAB is a much better solution for Win 8 users, since it can still disable stuff related to telemetry, while GWX-Control-Panel can't. And SAB doesn't actually remove anything, it simply disables stuff.
     
  19. EASTER

    EASTER Registered Member

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    Seems my age old practice going back to XP is enough to keep sneak o' soft from trying to stick a fast one on my machines. I mean heck, I seriously stopped ALL and ANY updates at XP sp2 and the only recent upgrade I've done at all was to go from 8 to 8.1 but I always disabled any channels for MS to fudge my machines. You see not only security conscious for years (HIPS/Virtualization etc.) but I been a long time Windows Customization fan and have experienced some great automations getting trashed in the past so I put an end to it for good.

    Still, Thanks Very Much for the LINK! That's a nifty tool and it confirmed on my machines what I already suspected but like is been mentioned, who knows at what length M$ will go to force matters into the end-users good machines.
     
  20. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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  21. EASTER

    EASTER Registered Member

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    This what Micro sock is doing these days brings back memories for me of our old nemesis Coolwebsearch and their clever ways of hijacking the search and home page (browser) then funneling in all sorts of distractions. Frankly it's tiresome. It's not enough that malware makers are always devising up ever new methods to gum up these communication machines, but now MS is come up with their own means to force upgrades like 10? which in turn drive coders to come up with counter-measures to prevent it?

    Simply Incredible. Thanks for the W10Privacy link, the comments section makes it even better. Guess we'll never see a Windows 9 after all.
     
  22. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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  23. Hiltihome

    Hiltihome Registered Member

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    Another wrong approach, related to WIN7/8

    To stop MS converting WIN7/8 into a spying OS, You do have to remove the related components, or don't let them install.

    Trying to block hosts is useless. All hardcoded which can be updated anytime.
     
  24. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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    I wasn't aware of the fact that M$ installed telemetry related services with Win Updates, have you got some more info?
     
  25. ArchiveX

    ArchiveX Registered Member

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