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Microsoft responds to LG monitors installing McAfee ads on Windows (arstechnica.com)
submitted 3 months ago by to c/technology@lemmy.world
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[–] 163 points 3 months ago (4 children)

This is being pushed as a driver update. Drivers run in ring 0. LG could be snooping on you at a very low level here.

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  • [–] 88 points 3 months ago

    But they promised that their installer isn't sending any data back to LG!

    They didn't promise the app itself isn't snooping or that McAfee isn't snooping, but the installer isn't snooping, they swear!

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  • [–] 44 points 3 months ago (1 child)

    This is not a driver update. This is adware that is automatically installed with the device being connected. It is the same as how synapse is automatically installed with Razer products. If it was a driver, you wouldn't be able to uninstall the software and have the device still work, not that a monitor needs a driver anyway.

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  • [–] 3 points 3 months ago

    I believe they were claiming it is installed the same as a driver, not that it's a driver in the literal sense. That was my understanding of it too, so is that wrong? Surely Windows looks for drivers, downloads them, and this gets installed alongside. If it is not listed as a driver then why is Windows installing it? Is this a Windows issue of giving companies the ability to install optional crap or is it a company issue of hiding optional crap inside their "driver" packages?

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