Updates 7/9/19 - "Microsoft Tuesday", Flash, Firefox

Adobe Flash Player  32.0.0.223 has been released

Firefox Version 68.0 (July 9, 2019)

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/68.0/releasenotes/

Security Vulnerabilities fixed in FF 68:

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/advisories/mfsa2019-21/

What's with the new license agreement we have to accept for Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool, which says, amongst other things:

"...The following feature uses Internet protocols, which send to the appropriate systems computer information, such as your Internet protocol address, the type of operating system, browser and name and version of the software you are using, and the language code of the device where you installed the software...."

and:

"...When the software checks your device for Malware, a report will be sent to Microsoft about any Malware detected, specific information relating to the detection, errors that occurred while the software was checking for Malware, and other information about your device that will help us improve this and other Microsoft products and services...."

Ron,

1) when I ran the MRT through Windows Update, I didn't have any user-interaction with it.   No warnings/disclaimers, absolutely nothing.

2) I have yet to "find" the MRT at the usual Microsoft link, which is why I haven't documented it (so far??) this month.

3) I just downloaded the tool from MajorGeeks (which often has access before other "official" sites), and it's running normally for me here.

So not sure what's happening at your end.

I dunno why MSRT wanted me to accept a new EULA yesterday either. I haven't installed anything new, aside from some app updates lately. So it's not like I deleted some existing MSRT EULA key from my PC.

But what I did was follow the link in the EULA for more info which eventually got me to a page about disabling the MSRT reporting feature in an "enterprise environment" using a Registry hack. I made the change and hopefully that helps keep MS's nose out of my PC. But -obviously- I have no way test if that hack is actually working.

Here's the info I used for the Regedit hack:

• Launch Regedit from Start>Run
• Navigate to Subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\MRT
• Create new Entry in right column for that key and name it: \DontReportInfectionInformation  (include the \)
• Set Type: REG_DWORD
• Set Value: data: 1

Danger, Will Robinson! = Anybody who attempts this Registry hack, does so entirely at their own risk. I take no responsibility if something goes wrong, and you are strongly encouraged to back up (Export) a copy of the entire Registry onto external media before making any changes to the Registry.

Without seeing the actual e-mail, it's hard to offer a definitive answer.

I certainly would be suspicious.

Look for signs of fraud:

Does the e-mail directly mention your real name... assuming you had offered it to Microsoft?   Or does it just say "Dear Sir", or no name at all, or only your e-address name?

Are there blatant errors in spelling and/or grammar?

If there are links in the e-mail, and you move your cursor over them (withOUT clicking on them!), does they show a "reasonable" address, or something which "doesn't feel right".

Not foolproof, but any of these can be hints of fraud.

Email opens with a large jpg of a smiling family holding a Surface tablet. Below that it says "Hello". followed by  lots of text, some which I included in my previous post.

No obvious bad English, and no obvious errors, or misspellings. There are 2 hyperlinks in the body of the text and 3 buttons (Services Agreement, Privacy Statement, and FAQs) across the bottom of the message. The 5 links are all different but all start with mmed. microsoft. com/  (spaces added) followed by dozens of letters, numbers, % signs etc.

On the surface (pun intended) it seems legit, but I'm not clicking any of those links or buttons. And if they want to close my MS account, fine with me. :Wink:

Looks like others got the e-mail as well  https://forums.thinkbroadband.com/general/4621216-service-level-agreement-with-microsoft.html

People there seem to believe it's legitimate... nevertheless, I'd stay clear of responding to (or clicking links in) it.

Thanks for the info and link. I wonder why everyone didn't get that email...?

Mine came to the email address I used to sign up for the MS forum, so it's reasonable they would send a message like that to this address.

But I still ain't gonna be clicking no links in that email! :Wink:

https://privacy.microsoft.com/en-us/privacystatement
https://www.onmsft.com/how-to/how-to-see-the-diagnostic-data-windows-10-is-sending-to-microsoft