Early this week, it’s has been discovered by a Microsoft MVP, Patrick Barker, that Samsung had a file installed on its systems called “Disable_Windowsupdate.exe” and as the name implies it’s a little program designed to do one thing, prevent Windows Update from running automatically in the background to successfully keep Windows devices fully updated with the latest security patches and bug fixes. Basically, users are forced without their knowledge to live without automatic updates that could can potentially be harmful by leaving them open to viruses and malicious attacks. According the Samsung, the reasoning for blocking Windows updates was to prevent the operating system from installing drivers that may not work with Samsung’s devices, choosing operability over security and performance. Samsung has issued a statement to Venture Beat admitting the error: “Samsung has a commitment to security and we continue to value our partnership with Microsoft,” and the company will fixing the issue via an update to its software: “We will be issuing a patch through the Samsung Software Update notification process to revert back to the recommended automatic Windows Update settings within a few days. Samsung remains committed to providing a trustworthy user experience and we encourage customers with product questions or concerns to contact us directly at 1-800-SAMSUNG.” This news also was heard from Microsoft and also issued a statement on the matter: “Windows Update remains a critical component of our security commitment to our customers. We do not recommend disabling or modifying Windows Update in any way as this could expose a customer to increased security risks. We are in contact with Samsung to address this issue.” Early this year, Lenovo was also found conducting a similar practice by installing an adware called Superfish, which end up being a high-risk security vulnerability, but soon after the vulnerability was found, the company stepped up and promised will never do the same thing again. The sad part of this story is that it seems that now more than ever, we cannot even trust big name companies. We’re all on our own. So, if you ever buy a new computer, take the time and perform a clean install of the operating system. All content on this site is provided with no warranties, express or implied. Use any information at your own risk. Always backup of your device and files before making any changes. Privacy policy info.
