Technology

60106 readers

1874 users here now

This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.

Our Rules

Follow the lemmy.world rules.
Only tech related content.
Be excellent to each another!
Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
Politics threads may be removed.
No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
Only approved bots from the list below, to ask if your bot can be added please contact us.
Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed

Approved Bots

founded 2 years ago

MODERATORS

715

Microsoft's official "Bing Wallpaper app" does some nasty, malware-like things to Windows (www.techspot.com)

submitted 1 month ago by ForgottenFlux@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

110 comments fedilink hide all child comments

The app automatically installs Bing Visual Search and includes code to decrypt cookies saved in other browsers, Rivera said, and it also brings a "free" geolocation web API to the system.

The developer discovered "many" nasty tricks Microsoft integrated in Bing Wallpapers, which include trying to change the browser's settings and set Edge as the default system browser. If the default browser isn't Edge, the app will open the default browser after some time asking to enable the previously installed Microsoft Bing Search for Chrome extension.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] PlainSimpleGarak@lemmings.world 13 points 1 month ago (2 children)

While scummy indeed, if you need a desktop application to get yourself new wallpapers, my sympathy only goes so far.

Also not at all surprised the top comment speaks of Linux.

Linux, hating Musk, and Star Trek: the Lemmy trifecta.

[–] Excrubulent@slrpnk.net 19 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

You only have sympathy for people who are already technically competent to some standard you've chosen? It's those who don't have technical competence that this shit works on. I'd bet that's the reason a wallpaper app was chosen for these shenanigans, because it filters out the people who will be wise to it.

Like it or not, building a secure internet means making systems that are safe for regular internet users, and if you're getting snooty about the kinds of programs a person installs, I'd wager that's not you. Even if it's just the least competent 5 or 10% of the internet falling prey to this, it's the predators that make the environment more dangerous for everyone. Put the blame where it belongs.

Also, those people aren't using Linux partly because Linux is an elitist community that shits on anyone who's not comfortable in the command line. If you want Linux to be a viable threat to the Windows monopoly, you need to accept that these people will need to be accommodated, unless you're happy selfishly keeping it to cloistered group of nerds who are toxic towards every newcomer, and you think that's the way it should be. I've certainly met Linux people who think that way.

[–] habitualcynic@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago (2 children)

I only hate Musk and love Star Trek. Does that mean I’m not a true Lemmy?

[–] PlainSimpleGarak@lemmings.world 2 points 1 month ago

Those are rookie numbers. You gotta pump those numbers up.