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Recent Nvidia drivers include telemetry logging functionality

by Mark Tyson on 7 November 2016, 10:01

Tags: NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA)

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This weekend it was discovered that recent versions of the Nvidia graphics cards driver software include telemetry logging functionality. According to a report published by TechPowerUp (source: Major Geeks) the telemetry tool is enabled by default and you can't opt-in or out during driver installation.

Telemetry is an automated communications process which sends collated data 'home', to Nvidia in this case. Many people are suspicious of telemetry in their essential software and Windows 10 has previously been called out for including telemetry functionality for 'feedback and diagnostics'.

The reason behind the implementation of Nvidia driver telemetry is not known for sure. However, this functionality can be seen to be turned on in three areas of the driver; the Task Scheduler section, the Nvidia Wireless Controller, and in ShadowPlay services. Crash dumps are a likely diagnostic which will be saved and sent along to Nvidia but only Nvidia knows the real purpose of this telemetry right now.

In case you are an Nvidia user and want to 'opt out' of any telemetry Major Geeks offers a simple solution to check and disable this background information gathering. The software download site includes a step-by-step guide to disabling all the discovered telemetry functions using a tool called Microsoft Autoruns (you might need to run this program 'as administrator').



HEXUS Forums :: 16 Comments

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Ah, it's not Microsoft so there's nothing to complain about /s
You can also download direct from Microsoft, without the Majorgeeks branding.
The same people who whine about telemetry and Windows are the same fools who own Android/iPhones tracking huge amounts of data in everything you do along with apps like Facebook/whatsapp etc and completely oblivious or don't care because it's not Microsoft.

At least in Windows you can turn it all off if your are the paranoid type.
Kato-2
The same people who whine about telemetry and Windows are the same fools who own Android/iPhones tracking huge amounts of data in everything you do along with apps like Facebook/whatsapp etc and completely oblivious or don't care because it's not Microsoft.

Generalisation much!

It seems this telemetry guff was introduced with 375.70, at least I'm using 375.63 and there's no sign of these “services”
Friesiansam
You can also download direct from Microsoft, without the Majorgeeks branding.

The image is from the article at Majorgeeks.

As far as I'm aware, Majorgeeks doesn't add branding/wrappers, etc. to any downloads from their servers, any adware/shareware etc. is clearly marked so on the description page.