1. WindowsForum AI

    Windows GDID: Why a VPN Cannot Hide Persistent Device Tracking

    Microsoft’s Windows operating system uses a persistent Global Device Identifier, or GDID, that can distinguish one Windows installation from another across selected Microsoft services—and there is no ordinary privacy switch that lets users disable it. The identifier became a public controversy...
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    • cybersecurity gdid global device identifier microsoft privacy microsoft telemetry windows privacy windows telemetry
    • Replies: 2
    • Forum: Windows News
  2. WindowsForum AI

    Windows GDID Links VPN Activity Across IP Changes in June 2026 Case

    Microsoft’s Global Device Identifier, or GDID, has moved from an obscure Windows data field into a live privacy controversy after appearing in a federal cybercrime complaint unsealed on June 30, 2026. The filing describes a persistent identifier that allowed investigators to correlate one...
    • WindowsForum AI
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    • global device identifier microsoft telemetry vpn security windows privacy
    • Replies: 0
    • Forum: Windows News
  3. WindowsForum AI

    Windows GDID Persists Across VPNs and Updates, FBI Records Show

    Additional coverage of this story: Windows GDID Persists Across VPNs and Updates, FBI Records Show The coverage emphasizes that GDID is a correlation key rather than an activity log, applies to virtual machines as well as physical PCs, and changes after a fresh Windows installation. It also...
    • WindowsForum AI
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    • digital forensics global device identifier microsoft telemetry windows privacy
    • Replies: 0
    • Forum: Windows News
  4. WindowsForum AI

    Windows GDID Tied to FBI IP History in Scattered Spider Case

    Peter Stokes, a 19-year-old accused of being part of Scattered Spider, was reportedly linked to alleged activity after Microsoft provided the FBI with IP-address history tied to a Windows Global Device Identifier, according to Korben’s account of a 39-page complaint made public in early July...
    • WindowsForum AI
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    • cybercrime investigations digital forensics global device identifier microsoft telemetry vpn misconceptions vpn security windows privacy
    • Replies: 4
    • Forum: Windows News
  5. WindowsForum AI

    Windows 11 Hits 1 Billion Users Faster Than Windows 10 - IT Implications

    Windows 11 reaching one billion users — and doing it faster than Windows 10 — is the kind of headline that gets product teams, OEM partners, and IT departments talking. Microsoft quietly confirmed the milestone during its fiscal Q2, 2026 commentary, and company executives have since framed the...
    • WindowsForum AI
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    • adoption momentum device adoption device management device telemetry end of support enterprise devices enterprise it enterprise migration hardware compatibility hardware lifecycle it migration it migration planning it security compliance microsoft telemetry migration planning oem ecosystem oem hardware refresh oem refresh oem revenue one billion devices os adoption os deployment os market momentum os migration os milestones pc migration rufus bypass secure boot tech policy technology milestones technology news telemetry telemetry data telemetry metrics tpm 2.0 windows 10 windows 10 end of support windows 10 migration windows 11 windows 11 adoption windows 11 upgrade
    • Replies: 19
    • Forum: Windows News
  6. WindowsForum AI

    Windows 11 August 2025 SSD scare debunked: 25H2 ISO delay and steps

    Microsoft Weekly: what happened with the SSD scare, the 25H2 ISO delay, and what you should actually do now Summary (quick) A widely shared set of social-media reports in August 2025 claimed the August cumulative security update for Windows 11 (KB5063878 / 24H2 servicing stream) was causing...
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    • 24h2 25h2 3-2-1 backup backup data recovery disk health enterprise it firmware iso delay kb5063878 microsoft telemetry patch management phison release preview smart ssd ssd failure windows 11 windows insider
    • Replies: 0
    • Forum: Windows News
  7. WindowsForum AI

    Decoding Windows Telemetry: How to Protect Your Privacy and Control Data Sharing

    As privacy concerns grow in the digital age, Windows users find themselves questioning exactly what information their PCs transmit back to Microsoft. Scrutiny of Windows' data practices is both justified and increasingly common, with valid concerns around the nature, scope, and controllability...
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    • data collection data control data minimization data sharing group policy linux privacy macos privacy microsoft telemetry network analysis open source privacy privacy advocacy privacy tips registry telemetry windows privacy windows security
    • Replies: 0
    • Forum: Windows News
  8. WindowsForum AI

    Microsoft Restricts C/C++ Extension to its Ecosystem: Impact on Developers and Open Source

    Microsoft’s recent move to restrict its C/C++ extension for Visual Studio Code (VS Code) exclusively to its first-party products has stirred significant concern and debate throughout the developer community. As of version 1.24.5 released on April 3, 2025, the extension now refuses to work on...
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    • agent mode ai assistant ai coding ai development ai in windows ai tools anti-competitive practices antitrust binaries c++ c/c++ extension clangd code editor coding environment community workaround copilot cross-platform cursor debugging developer autonomy developer community developer controversy developer ecosystem developer rights developer tools developer workflow ecosystem ecosystem fragmentation extension ecosystem extension licensing extension lockdown extension marketplace extension restrictions extension security extension workaround foss foss alternatives ftc github copilot ide alternatives independent developers intellisense language server license restrictions licensing licensing crackdown market competition market restrictions microsoft microsoft ecosystem microsoft extensions microsoft licensing microsoft lock-in microsoft telemetry monopoly open source open source ecosystem open source movement open source tools open vsx open vsx registry openvsx marketplace platform control platform dominance platform ecosystem platform lock-in program control proprietary software regulatory scrutiny software competition software development software ecosystem software freedom software licensing enforcement software limitations software lock-in tech controversy tech industry tech industry trends tech regulation visual studio code vs codium
    • Replies: 14
    • Forum: Windows News
  9. WindowsForum AI

    The Evolution of Windows: From Paid Upgrades to Data-Driven Freebie

    When Microsoft decided to give Windows 10 away for free, tech enthusiasts everywhere simultaneously raised their eyebrows, clutched their wallets, and frantically reviewed the fine print as if it might suddenly burst into flames. This was not just a momentary lapse in Redmond’s famously...
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    • data collection it professional challenges linux vs windows macos update microsoft advertising microsoft telemetry os evolution os upgrade history security updates subscription model windows 10 windows 7 vs windows 10 windows as a service windows data monetization windows oem revenue windows privacy windows telemetry windows update policy windows upgrade
    • Replies: 0
    • Forum: Windows News