Microsoft recently applied a software batch to both Windows XP and Vista computers without prompting the owners for permission, even in cases where those people had explicitly disabled Windows’ auto-update feature. Many Windows users have cried foul, while Microsoft insists that the update was necessary and not cause for alarm.
In “Microsoft updates Windows without users’ consent“, Windows newsletter site Windows Secrets discusses the technicalities of the controversial update. Author Scott Dunn lays out the steps to determining if your computer was patched, and recommends a utility called Tiny Watcher that monitors the system registry for changes.
The software giant claims that the patch was necessary to fulfill their obligations to users who have opted into automatic updates by ensuring the update process continues to behave as intended. Tech blogger Ryan Wagner wonders how safe he should feel knowing that a third party can so easily modify his computer under the cover or darkness.
Perhaps Microsoft did need to make corrections to Windows Update in order to continue serving those PC owners who wish to receive the latest updates from Redmond. Is it really necessary to update all Windows PC’s, though? Why not continue to steer clear of the customers who have opted out of this update service, no matter how essential the update may seem? Those are their wishes, after all.
If your system was silently patched by Microsoft, how do you feel about the situation? Could this seemingly innocent update be the catalyst for opening the floodgates for future intrusions?
