Microsoft Edge is leaking the sites you visit to Bing

Microsoft Edge is leaking the sites you visit to Bing

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

Who would thought.

 

Exactly.

 

Microsoft is "investigating" the reports. Of course, I'm sure they knew nothing about it

 

Exactly!

@Malcontent Thanks for the heads up!

 

Hear, hear!

 

They are investigating what is best to say in press release

 

It's a bit of a cat and mouse game. Microsoft deliberately puts "secret" features in its apps and when it gets leaked, then they first pretend like really? indeed? no worries, we'll investigate ... they pretend like their apps were hacked by someone bad outside of Microsoft. But the funniest part is that they end up explaining it that it was actually put there for the good of the users.

 

More info: https://www.ghacks.net/2023/04/26/m...d-page-to-bing-here-is-how-you-turn-that-off/

 

Policy to turn it off:

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge]
"EdgeFollowEnabled"=dword:00000000

 

Isn't this the same as disabling Show suggestions to follow creators in Microsoft Edge?

 

Yes, but with the policy set, users can't turn it on any more in the browser (greyed out).

 

good for admins

 

I automatically disable all new features in Edge/Windows, because I got tired of playing this game. And this is not the only feature sending URLs back, aside from smartscreen/antitracking there are several, like:

Spoiler

Code:

reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" /v "DNSInterceptionChecksEnabled" /t REG_DWORD /d "0" /f
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" /v "ExperimentationAndConfigurationServiceControl" /t REG_DWORD /d "0" /f
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" /v "RelatedMatchesCloudServiceEnabled" /t REG_DWORD /d "0" /f
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" /v "TranslateEnabled" /t REG_DWORD /d "0" /f
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" /v "AlternateErrorPagesEnabled" /t REG_DWORD /d "0" /f
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" /v "ResolveNavigationErrorsUseWebService" /t REG_DWORD /d "0" /f
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" /v "TyposquattingCheckerEnabled" /t REG_DWORD /d "0" /f
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" /v "VisualSearchEnabled" /t REG_DWORD /d "0" /f
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" /v "AddressBarMicrosoftSearchInBingProviderEnabled" /t REG_DWORD /d "0" /f
reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge" /v "NetworkPredictionOptions" /t REG_DWORD /d "2" /f

Still regardless of everything, Edge and Brave try to connect to DNS via UDP port 53, though DoH is set in browsers and in Windows, but MS plays a dead bug. Must be some really cool tracking feature in Chromium browsers.

Code:

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/discussions/edge-triggers-dns-requests-ignoring-doh/m-p/3641646

 

You stepped on their toes. Good you!

 

It makes you wonder what they do that there are no visible settings for.

 

I guess I should have read your spoiler before making my previous post...

 

Never had this feature active.

 

Yesterday, after reading this thread about the "highly-expected for me" Microsoft "spying on us, I did check my Edge "spying" settings.
Yes, they were off.
As one of our WS members said, "Never had this feature active," but...
Today, after my Edge got updated, those "spying" settings were on!
To sum up.

I truly don't know why anybody with some knowledge about the Internet could use Edge as the primary browser.
I have Edge for two reasons:
1. You can't get rid of it - it comes with Windows.
2. I've just used Edge to renew my registration.
Let Microsoft excited about my browsing habits.

 

Mine are also still off but based on previous experience I think we should keep an eye on it because it is not unusual for them to change settings on an update.

 

I nuked Edge w/HiBit Uninstaller and got the Advanced scan to mop up the remnants so there's no nagging from Windows. The only nag I got was switching to Bing search temporarily to test something. The only thing that has in a minor and highly infrequent way affected me is opening any link from a Store app. The link simply won't open, ignoring the Default browser setting (Firefox). How astonishing. But maybe that's changed seeing as I have not had Edge for well over a year now.

No way in you-know-where will I use Edge and it's not just b/c of privacy issues. No. Way.

 

Yes!

In the past, I've followed some "good" instructions - on how to remove Edge, and, yes, it worked - no more Edge, but...
But, my Windows completely stopped updating - always some kind of issue.
I needed to reinstall my Windows OS, and I said to myself,
"Whatever you do, just don't mess with Edge - a tightly integrated with OS browser. Accept the inevitable if you use Windows."