Data Collected at Windows Update

NOD32 user · Jan 31, 2005

F.Y.I.

Windows Update privacy statement
Last updated 4/15/2004
Microsoft is committed to protecting your privacy.

What data is collected – and why?
Windows Update collects general system information from your computer with each visit, so that you receive the updates that work best with your computer. The information is also used to generate aggregate statistics about how the Windows Update web site is used and which systems need support, so that we can improve our service. This information includes:

Computer make and model
Version information for the operating system, browser, and any other Microsoft software for which updates might be available
Plug and Play ID numbers of hardware devices
Region and language setting
Globally Unique Identifier (GUID)
Product ID and Product Key
BIOS name, revision number, and revision date

Your Internet Protocol (IP) address is logged when you connect to the Windows Update site, but this address will only be used to generate aggregate statistics.
How is this data used?
Windows Update collects the Product ID and Product Key to confirm that you are running a validly licensed copy of Windows. The Product ID and Product Key collected are not retained after you are finished using Windows Update, unless the Product ID is not valid.

To generate accurate statistics, Windows Update evaluates a Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) that is stored on your computer to uniquely identify it. The GUID does not contain any information that can be used to identify you. A GUID is assigned and tracked in the following cases:

To provide customers with the best possible service, Windows Update tracks and records the number of individual computers that visit the site and whether the download and installation of specific updates succeeded or failed. Windows Update records the GUID of the computer that attempted the download, the ID of the item that was requested, whether updates were required, and the configuration information listed above.

Windows Update logs an additional GUID if you provide responses about whether help and troubleshooting articles were useful in resolving your problem. This allows Windows Update to provide you with increasingly helpful and relevant information.

Microsoft collects information about the pages our customers visit within microsoft.com, including Windows Update. This information might include: your IP address, browser type, operating system, domain name, the time at which you accessed the site, and referring web site addresses. This site visitation data is identified only by a unique ID number used solely for this purpose.
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Clickthrough from windowsupdate-->manage your profile

Bubba · Jan 31, 2005

That's pretty much the same thing we as Win2K users have been seeing since Oct. 2003

Windows Update Privacy Statement (Last Updated 10/17/2003)
Windows Update is committed to protecting your privacy. To provide you with the appropriate list of updates, Windows Update must collect a certain amount of configuration information from your computer. None of this configuration information can be used to identify you. This information includes:

Operating-system version number

Internet Explorer version number

Version numbers of other software for which Windows Update provides updates

Plug and Play ID numbers of hardware devices

Region and Language setting

The configuration information collected is used only to determine the appropriate updates and to generate aggregate statistics. Windows Update does not collect your name, address, e-mail address, or any other form of personally identifiable information.

Windows Update also collects the Product ID and Product Key to confirm that you are running a validly licensed copy of Windows. A validly licensed copy of Windows ensures that you will receive on-going updates from Windows Update. The Product ID and Product Key are not retained beyond the end of the Windows Update session, unless the Product ID is not valid.

To provide you with the best possible service, Windows Update also tracks and records how many unique machines visit its site and whether the download and installation of specific updates succeeded or failed. In order to do this, the Windows operating system generates a Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) that is stored on your computer to uniquely identify it. The GUID does not contain any personally identifiable information and cannot be used to identify you. Windows Update records the GUID of the computer that attempted the download, the ID of the item that you attempted to download and install, and the configuration information listed above.
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Data Collected at Windows Update

NOD32 user Registered Member

Bubba Updates Team

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Data Collected at Windows Update

NOD32 user Registered Member

Bubba Updates Team

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