PC OEMs 2015 debacles episode 2: Samsung disabling Windows Update

[pal1000]

After Lenovo Superfish fiasco, another big issue came to light this week with Samsung PCs. It has been discovered by Patrick Barker, a Microsoft MVP that some Samsung PCs have Windows Update automatically disabled by a tool automatically downloaded by a pre-loaded software called SW Update which acts as the standard updater for Samsung PCs.

 

External links:

 

ArsTechnica: Part 1, Part 2

ThreatPost: Part 1, Part 2

[Aura]

There's a lot more people that discovered this together, not just Patrick. All of them are proud members of the Sysnative forum. Patrick did a good job at exposing this whole situation on his blog however, but the members that assisted him deserves a good clap for their contribution as well.

[Corrine]

Good point, Aura. In point of fact, it was a graduate of one of the malware removal schools who, at the suggestion of someone else, provided instructions for monitoring the registry. As shown in the original request for help, Brian discovered the file after reviewing the results of the registry audit: %5BSOLVED%5D Windows update problems. Further analysis took place by others behind the scenes.

Edit Note: It has now been agreed by those involved to move the private forum discussion to a public forum. Note, however, that there were some sensitive posts that were excluded when moving it to the public forum: Samsung: Disable_Windowsupdate.exe

[jcgriff2]

Thank you for clearing that up.