November 26, 2024 at 09:40AM
The Bing Wallpaper app, recently added to the Microsoft Store, raises privacy concerns. Investigations reveal it can alter browser settings, read cookies, and install features without user consent. Microsoft denies decrypting all cookies but acknowledges user tracking capabilities. Experts advise caution due to questionable data practices.
### Meeting Takeaways on Bing Wallpaper App Concerns
1. **Background**:
– The Bing Wallpaper app has recently been made available in the Microsoft Store for easier installation.
2. **Investigation Findings**:
– Rafael Rivera, a Microsoft MVP alum, conducted an investigation using tools like ILSpy and Windows Sandbox.
– He raised alarms about concerning capabilities within the app, likening it to “Microsoft-developed malware.”
3. **Alarming Features**:
– **Browser Manipulation**: The app can alter Chrome extension preferences and read browser cookies for user tracking.
– **User Promotion**: It has the capability to prompt users to switch to Bing and Edge while intercepting browser launches.
– **Installation Without Consent**: Bing Visual Search can be installed automatically on user PCs without asking for permission.
– **Potential Data Gathering**: The app locates and decrypts specific cookies from browsers like Chrome, Edge, and Firefox.
4. **Microsoft’s Response**:
– Microsoft claims that the app does not “peruse and decrypt all user cookies,” though this has been considered a minor distinction by Rivera.
– The company insists that features present in the app have not changed in the latest store version compared to previous versions.
– They also noted that the app performs a Bing cookie check to avoid redundant installations.
5. **Concerns Over Data Practices**:
– Rivera emphasizes the troubling nature of Microsoft’s ongoing data gathering practices, noting potential privacy violations.
– He expressed disappointment over the company’s approach to user privacy and autonomy.
6. **General Recommendation**:
– Users are advised to reconsider installing the Bing Wallpaper app due to its questionable data gathering abilities and potential undermining of privacy.
### Conclusion:
The discussion indicates serious concerns about the Bing Wallpaper app’s operation and implications for user privacy, suggesting that users should approach it with caution.