• CaptDust@sh.itjust.works
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    5 days ago

    When you turn on your PC and notice that there’s a huge Christmas banner on your desktop, do not panic – your device is not compromised.

    Hah, well a vendor just pushed unapproved executable to the device and ran it without consent. Under any definition or other context it’s definitely compromised.

    • stoy@lemmy.zip
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      5 days ago

      This is why I boycott Logitech, they started pushing the Logitech Download Assistant through Windows Update as soon as you connect a Logitech mouse/keyboard.

      It autoruns not only when it is first installed but on every startup.

      It is rather annoying to try and uninstall it, I don’t get why there has been so little backlash against this…

      Microsoft permitting this is devaluing Windows Update, the driver (.inf) should be installed automatically, any executable file that WU wants to download and run on your computer should just bring up a small Windows notification saying something like this:

      The device you just installed requests to download and run the following program from Windows Update:

      Logitech Download Assistant

      Will you approve or reject this request? Approve/Reject

      It is just terrible that this is permitted

      • mat@linux.community
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        5 days ago

        I never knew about this (using Linux) but when I plugged my mouse onto a friend’s laptop and suddenly a big banner animated onscreen, my heart sank lol. No idea how this works but it was pretty unexpected.

        • BeardedGingerWonder@feddit.uk
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          4 days ago

          I try not to be too Linux fanboish these days, but what in the ever loving fuck is that about? Windows sounds like it’s reverted to 90s/early 2000s novelty crap and browser toolbars.

      • DefederateLemmyMl@feddit.nl
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        4 days ago

        This is why I boycott Logitech

        You should boycott Microsoft instead. As you say, they’re the ones permitting it.

        • stoy@lemmy.zip
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          4 days ago

          I would if I could, but I work with Windows and if I migrate to Linux at home, my skills in Windows would dimminish

            • stoy@lemmy.zip
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              4 days ago

              Sigh, why, why do you do feel the need to put other’s down over something as irrelevant as an operating system?

              But since Windows require zero skills, then even you may stand a chance to solve the following tasks that I have had to deal with within Windows.

              1. List all users in the local admin group of all workstations, if a group is part of the local admin group, expand it and list individual users, oh and some users/groups are still on an old domain.
              2. Whitelist a new USB device in GPO.
              3. Make a report of all computers in the organization, get the current system model number, memory, storage space, free storage space, check weather or not the computer is ready for Windows 11, sort the list by department and primary user.
              • dependencyinjection@discuss.tchncs.de
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                4 days ago

                These weirdos have Linux as their entire identity and it’s become all consuming for some of them.

                I just block anyone who is shilling Linux too much as it gets boring quickly, and I use Linux myself as of recently but it isn’t all that amazing and it requires a good amount of configuration, contrary to what people on here will tell you.

                • stoy@lemmy.zip
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                  4 days ago

                  Linux is amazing, I use it regularly for diferent projects.

                  I even dailied Ubuntu 15 years ago, but then switched back to Windows for gaming and work.

              • punchmesan@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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                4 days ago

                I’m in IT too. My experience is that if you use Linux at home and Windows at work you just end up skilled at both. At one point I was even using a Macbook at work (wouldn’t have even been a consideration if WSL was just a little better), using a Windows jump server or a VM for my Windows-y ops, and I became skilled at all 3 OS’s.

                All of that is to say that your skill won’t decrease if Windows is still being used, especially if you’re using it in a professional context.

                • stoy@lemmy.zip
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                  4 days ago

                  This is really the wrong sub thread to discuss this, this was my reply to someone laughing at the concept of Windows skills.

                  As for you comment, I am glad that it works like that for you, it doesn’t for me.

                • stoy@lemmy.zip
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                  4 days ago

                  Powershell is very useful to use at home, maybe not in those exact tasks, but it is a Windows skill.

      • circuitfarmer@lemmy.sdf.org
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        5 days ago

        It sucks because I’ve always liked Logitech hardware. Though I suppose you don’t need to run the software suite (or if you’re on Linux it isn’t an option anyway).

      • Midnight Wolf@lemmy.world
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        5 days ago

        Cannot confirm, I have a g903, paired mouse pad, and their brio webcam. I only have the G Hub, which I installed manually. Maybe they stopped this behavior?

      • A7thStone@lemmy.world
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        4 days ago

        I had windows update try to brick the BIOS on my Lenovo workstation recently. I can’t believe Microsoft and manufacturers do this kind of shit. Luckily my workstation had dual BIOS so I could recover it. Between that and the fact that lenovo manufacturer locks their processors I would have waited until I could afford a supermicro had I known.

    • u/lukmly013 💾 (lemmy.sdf.org)@lemmy.sdf.org
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      5 days ago

      Welp, seems ASUS motherboards also push this by default: https://www.techpowerup.com/248827/asus-z390-motherboards-automatically-push-software-into-your-windows-installation

      During testing for our Intel Core i9-9900K review we found out that new ASUS Z390 motherboards automatically install software and drivers to your Windows 10 System, without the need for network access, and without any user knowledge or confirmation. This process happens in complete network-isolation (i.e. the machine has no Internet or LAN access).

      • skaffi@infosec.pub
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        5 days ago

        Holy shit. I got Logitech peripherals, and an ASUS motherboard. I’m glad I’m on Linux. I still have Windows installed, and booted into it around 2 weeks ago, after it having lied dormant for four months. I didn’t notice anything being installed, but maybe I had to reboot first.

        Quite possibly, my peripherals and motherboard are all too old to have this anti-feature. Do you know if there is a list of which of their hardware this is the case for?

        Damnit, I always preferred Logitech mice. I guess I might have bought my last one.

        • u/lukmly013 💾 (lemmy.sdf.org)@lemmy.sdf.org
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          5 days ago

          The ASUS UEFI firmware exposes an ACPI table to Windows 10, called “WPBT” or “Windows Platform Binary Table”. WPBT is used in the pre-built OEM industry, and is referred to as “the Vendor’s Rootkit.” Put simply, it is a script that makes Windows copy data from the BIOS to the System32 folder on the machine and execute it during Windows startup - every single time the system is booted.

          So, sounds like a Windows-specific vulnerability feature.

          • Grabthar@lemmy.world
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            4 days ago

            Make a read only file/folder with the same name and the script should fail. But that is horseshit.

      • Midnight Wolf@lemmy.world
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        5 days ago

        Similarly (above), I can’t confirm this either, on two different Asus boards, still in support/updates. I’m assuming this requires their software to be installed, which there’s no point to, so I didn’t bother… Maybe it’s part of their armory crate system, which can (should) be disabled in the bios…