LG monitors silently install software through Windows Update without consent
1215 points
• 2 days ago
• Article
Link
当用户将特定 LG 显示器连接到 Windows PC 时，会发现软件通过 Windows Update 在未经明确许可的情况下自动安装。报告显示，这些安装包括 LG Monitor App Installer，该程序随后会推广第三方软件，具体为 McAfee 订阅。测试表明，即便多次重启系统，该应用仍会存在，并频繁向用户弹出旨在转化为付费订阅的试用优惠。
这种侵入式行为并不限于新硬件，报告称影响多款显示器型号，包括较旧的设备。该应用被指出拥有较高的系统权限，Microsoft Store 列出了其访问互联网和系统资源的能力。这引发了外界对该软件权限范围以及 LG 针对显示器用户的隐私政策可能带来更广泛影响的担忧。
LG 并非唯一采用这种分发方式捆绑软件的厂商。观察到 Dell 在检测到兼容硬件时，也会通过 Windows Update 自动安装 Alienware Command Center 。这类自动安装由设备元数据触发，指示 Windows 在硬件连接时下载相关应用程序。
想要阻止这些静默安装的用户，可以通过 Windows 设置重新获得控制。在计算机的组策略（group policy）设置中，进入 "Device Installation" 部分，启用 "Prevent automatic download of applications associated with device metadata" 选项。虽然此操作能有效阻止不需要的软件，但也可能同时阻止某些合法或有用的实用程序自动安装，这些程序届时需要手动获取。
Users connecting certain LG monitors to Windows PCs are finding that software is being installed automatically through Windows Update without their explicit consent. Reports indicate that these installations include the LG Monitor App Installer, which subsequently promotes third-party software, specifically McAfee subscriptions. Testing has shown that the application persists even across multiple system boots, frequently presenting users with trial offers that are intended to convert into paid subscriptions.
This intrusive behavior is not restricted to new hardware, as reports suggest it affects a variety of monitor models, including older units. The application is noted to have significant system permissions, with the Microsoft Store listing its ability to access both internet and system resources. This has sparked concerns regarding the reach of the software and the broader implications of LG's privacy policies for monitor users.
LG is not the only manufacturer utilizing this delivery method for bundled software. Dell has been observed using Windows Update to automatically install the Alienware Command Center when the system detects compatible hardware. These automatic installs are triggered by device metadata, which instructs Windows to download associated applications upon the hardware connection.
For users wishing to prevent these silent installations, there is a way to regain control through Windows settings. By navigating to the computer's group policy settings, specifically under the "Device Installation" section, users can enable an option to "Prevent automatic download of applications associated with device metadata." While this effectively blocks the unwanted software, it is important to note that it might also stop the automatic installation of legitimate or useful utilities, which would then need to be acquired manually.
635 comments • Comments Link
• 最近一些 LG monitors 通过 Windows Update，在将设备连接到 PC 时会自动且静默地安装第三方臃肿软件和促销程序（例如 McAfee）。
• 这种行为由 Windows 的 "Plug and Play" 和自动驱动分发机制促成，绕开用户许可，并在系统启动时以高权限运行这些软件。
• 硬件厂商在驱动程序中捆绑垃圾软件的做法由来已久，但本案尤其恶劣，因为安装是静默进行、在后台运行，并且波及到了较旧的 monitor models 。
• Microsoft 在其更新基础设施中允许这一功能存在，应承担重大责任，因为他们有权审查并阻止对 Windows ecosystem 的此类滥用。
• 许多参与者认为 Windows 日益严重的 "enshittification"——以广告、遥测和非必要捆绑软件为特征——是对用户信任的根本背叛，使操作系统更像是一个变现平台，而非个人计算的工具。
• 提议的修复办法（例如通过 Group Policy 或 Registry 禁用自动设备应用安装）被批评为对普通用户过于技术化，而且 Microsoft 在新版 Windows 中不断把这些设置隐藏起来，增加了可操作性难度。
• 关于硬件专属软件是否必要存在明显分歧，许多人主张现代驱动应严格沙盒化，并去除前端 GUI 或促销组件。
• Linux 常被视为摆脱这类做法的避风港，因为其社区驱动、经审慎管理的发行模型缺乏预装广告软件的商业动机，尽管有人承认供应链漏洞仍可能带来风险。
• 讨论还涉及在 GDPR 或消费者保护法下采取法律追索的可能性，认为这些安装构成未经授权的入侵并可能涉及欺骗性的数据收集。
• 硬件所有权的削弱和 "spyware-as-a-service" 商业模式的常态化，促使一些用户主张彻底抵制 LG 等厂商，转向 open-source ecosystems 以重新掌控自己的设备。
讨论的总体共识是对推动这些做法的硬件厂商以及促成此事的操作系统厂商深感沮丧。虽有少数人为自动驱动更新的便利性辩护，但绝大多数人认为当前做法已越界，近似恶意软件。对话反映出一种日益增长的情绪：在现状下，Windows 已不再维护用户利益，许多人因此认为转向 Linux 等替代方案是恢复计算自主权的必要之举，尽管这常常困难重重。 • Recent LG monitors are triggering the automatic, silent installation of third-party bloatware and promotional software (such as McAfee) via Windows Update, which occurs upon connecting the device to a PC.
• This behavior, facilitated by the Windows "Plug and Play" and automatic driver distribution system, bypasses user consent and installs software that runs on system boot with elevated privileges.
• The practice of hardware manufacturers bundling junk software with drivers is long-standing, but this case is viewed as uniquely egregious due to its silent, background nature and its extension to older monitor models.
• Microsoft is being held significantly culpable for allowing this functionality to persist within their update infrastructure, as they maintain the authority to curate and block such abuse of the Windows ecosystem.
• Many participants view the ongoing trend of Windows "enshittification"—characterized by ads, telemetry, and non-optional bundled software—as a fundamental betrayal of user trust that positions the operating system more as a platform for monetization than a personal computing tool.
• Proposed workarounds, such as disabling automatic device app installation via Group Policy or Registry edits, are criticized for being overly technical for the average user and for Microsoft's tendency to obscure these settings in newer Windows editions.
• A clear ideological divide exists regarding the necessity of hardware-specific software, with many arguing that modern drivers should be strictly sandboxed and stripped of front-facing GUIs or promotional components.
• Linux is frequently cited as a refuge from these practices, as its community-driven, curated distribution model lacks the same corporate-driven incentives for pre-installing adware, though some acknowledge risks still exist via supply-chain vulnerabilities.
• Discussion points include the potential for legal recourse under GDPR or consumer protection laws, given that these installations constitute unauthorized intrusion and potentially deceptive data collection.
• The decline of hardware ownership and the normalization of "spyware-as-a-service" business models have led some users to advocate for total boycotts of companies like LG and a move toward open-source ecosystems to regain control over their machines.
The consensus within the thread is one of deep frustration with both the hardware manufacturers pushing these practices and the operating system developer facilitating them. While some participants defend the convenience of automatic driver updates, the overwhelming view is that current practices have crossed the line into malware-like behavior. The conversation reflects a growing sentiment that Windows, in its current state, is no longer aligned with the interests of the user, leading many to view moving to alternatives like Linux as a necessary, if sometimes difficult, step to reclaim computing autonomy.