A Hacker's Arrest Reveals Microsoft Can Track Users Via a Windows Device ID
https://www.pcmag.com/news/a-hackers-arrest-reveals-microsoft-can-track-users-via-a-windows-device
https://www.pcmag.com/news/a-hackers-arrest-reveals-microsoft-can-track-users-via-a-windows-device
22 Comments
Telorand@reddthat.com · 39 pts · 54d
Y'all are probably tired of hearing it, but Linux has come a long way, especially for gaming; spin up a VM and try a few distros out.
phoenixz@lemmy.ca · 15 pts · 54d
I've used Linux desktop for over 25 years now
It was mostly ready for all that time. I installed KDE Linux on my mother in law's computer for basic browsing and games like solitaire 15 years ago. She was in her late 60s and loved using it for almost a decade.
Linux today is not "ready", it's the only serious choice for an operating system for everyone
Telorand@reddthat.com · 3 pts · 54d
Yep, I installed Aurora on an aging parent's laptop, because I was worried they'd be the target of some well-crafted malware campaign (hence why I went atomic). Plus the parent doesn't have good privacy practice, and I know Microsoft was datamining everything they were doing.
slazer2au@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 54d
Start with Debian to be stable for a learning experience, then to Fedora to play around, finally Arch when the neck beard grows in.
Turret3857@infosec.pub · 4 pts · 54d
i know this is mostly a joke but I feel like beginners would have an easier time with fedora than debian
slazer2au@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 54d
I haven't used Fedora since Core 2 came out in ....... fuck, 2004? Ok, I need to revisit that one.
lka1988@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 1 pts · 54d
Debian has far more support from 3rd party software vendors than Fedora. That's one reason I stick with Debian.
Turret3857@infosec.pub · 2 pts · 54d
For sure, but fedora comes with the new anaconda installer which is easy asf for beginners. I feel like the Debian installed could use a major UX makeover if were recommending it to beginners
deltapi@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 54d
LMDE. Best of both.
lka1988@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 2 pts · 53d
Preach! That's what I run, LMDE 7
lka1988@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 1 pts · 53d
Absolutely valid point.
IAmNorRealTakeYourMeds@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 54d
tbf, lately, linux major progress is not hammering its own dick.
unskilled5117@feddit.org · 12 pts · 54d
Why is there never any more detail how the GDID is then used to collect information?
How do the records show a GDID in connection to the website?
cm0002@lemdro.id · 12 pts · 54d
Iirc other articles were specifying he was also using Edge AND had edge cloud sync or w/e enabled
phoenixz@lemmy.ca · 11 pts · 54d
Uh huh
altphoto@lemmy.today · 10 pts · 54d
That's why all my devices running that piece of shit stay at work. Far away from my network.
fubarx@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 54d
Early iPhones all had unique UDIDs that were SDK accessible. It wasn't long before it was used to connect location data to devices and devices with specific users. Apple's solution was to yank it away from developers and go with an identifier the users could rescind and reset (the ADID). It still let apps track people, but there was always the risk users would reset it and break the chain of data gathering.
The real solution is to limit access to the information as-needed. Like for maintenance, or warranty repairs. Everybody else can go pound sand. In the desktop/laptop world, a lot of hardware vendors just blithely let anyone access unique hardware IDs, which leads to the same privacy outcome.
FiniteBanjo@programming.dev · 4 pts · 54d
TBF nVidia and Intel components supposedly had the same sort of capability for many years now: unique device ids.
But yeh, fuck windowsm
Tollana1234567@lemmy.today · 2 pts · 54d
MS is part of the surveillance tech that leo uses.
tremble5218@programming.dev · 2 pts · 54d
Hardly surprising. Fuck Microslop!
refalo@programming.dev · 2 pts · 54d
Linux distros have the same kind of device ID mechanism (
/etc/machine-idor/var/lib/dbus/machine-id)... the only difference is how applications use it.Marija_@programming.dev · 1 pts · 53d
Every time something like this comes out I'm reminded how much telemetry exists that most users never think about.