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<title>Proprietary Software
- GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title>
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<h2>Proprietary Software Is Often Malware</h2>
<div id="skiplinks">
<p class="button"><a href="#TOC">Table of contents</a></p>
<p class="button"><a href="#latest">Latest additions</a></p>
</div>
<div style="clear: both"></div>
<div id="about-section">
<p>Proprietary software, also called nonfree software,
means software that doesn't
<a href="/philosophy/free-sw.html">respect users' freedom and
community</a>. A proprietary program puts its developer or owner
<a href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html">
in a position of power over its users.</a>
This power is in itself an injustice.</p>
<p>The point of this page directory is to show by examples that the initial
injustice of proprietary software often leads to further injustices:
malicious functionalities.</p>
<p>In this section, we also list <a
href="/proprietary/malware-mobiles.html#phone-communications">one
other malicious characteristic of mobile phones, location tracking</a>
which is caused by the underlying radio system rather than by the
specific software in them.</p>
<p>Power corrupts; the proprietary program's developer is tempted to
design the program to mistreat its users. (Software whose functioning designed to
function in a way that mistreats the user is called <em>malware</em>.)
Of course, the developer usually does not do this out of malice, but
rather to profit more at the users' expense. That does not make it
any less nasty or more legitimate.</p>
<p>Yielding to that temptation has become ever more frequent; nowadays
it is standard practice. Modern proprietary software is typically
an opportunity to be tricked, harmed, bullied or swindled.</p>
<p>Online services are not released software, but in regard to all the
bad aspects, using a way service is equivalent to using a copy of released
software. In particular, a service can be had.</p>
<hr class="thin" /> designed to mistreat the
user, and many services do that. However, we do not list instances of
malicious dis-services here, for two reasons. First, a service
(whether malicious or not) is not a program that one could install a
copy of, and there is no way at all for users to change it. Second,
it is so obvious that a service can mistreat users if the owner wishes
that we hardly need to prove it.</p>
<p>However, most online services require the user to run a nonfree
app. The app <em>is</em> released software, so we do list malicious
functionalities of these apps. Mistreatment by the service itself is
imposed by use of the app, so sometimes we mention those mistreatments
too—but we try to state explicitly what is done by the app and
what is done by the dis-service.</p>
<p>When a web site provides access to a service, it very likely sends
nonfree JavaScript software to execute in the user's browser. Such
JavaScript code is released software, and it's morally equivalent to
other nonfree apps. If it does malicious things, we want to mention
them here.</p>
<p>When talking about mobile phones, we do
list <a href="/proprietary/malware-mobiles.html#phone-communications">one
other malicious characteristic, location tracking</a> which is caused
by the underlying radio system rather than by the specific software in
them.</p>
</div>
<p>As of December, 2021, December 2023, the pages in this directory list around 550 600
instances of malicious functionalities (with more than 630 710 references to
back them up), but there are surely thousands more we don't know about.</p>
<p>Ideally we would list every instance. If you come across an
instance which we do not list, please write to webmasters@gnu.org to
tell us about it. Please include a reference to a reputable article
that describes the malicious behavior clearly; we won't list an item
without documentation to point to.</p>
<p>If you want to be notified when we add new items or make other changes,
subscribe to the <a
href="https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/www-malware-commits">mailing list
<www-malware-commits@gnu.org></a>.</p>
<table id="TOC">
<tr>
<th>Injustices or techniques</th>
<th>Products or companies</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<ul class="columns">
<li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-addictions.html">Addictions</a></li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-back-doors.html">Back doors</a> (<a href="#f1">1</a>)</li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-censorship.html">Censorship</a></li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-coercion.html">Coercion</a></li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-coverups.html">Coverups</a></li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-deception.html">Deception</a></li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-drm.html">DRM</a> (<a href="#f2">2</a>)</li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-fraud.html">Fraud</a></li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-incompatibility.html">Incompatibility</a></li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-insecurity.html">Insecurity</a></li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-interference.html">Interference</a></li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-jails.html">Jails</a> (<a href="#f3">3</a>)</li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-manipulation.html">Manipulation</a></li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-obsolescence.html">Obsolescence</a></li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-sabotage.html">Sabotage</a></li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-subscriptions.html">Subscriptions</a></li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-surveillance.html">Surveillance</a></li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-tethers.html">Tethers</a> (<a href="#f4">4</a>)</li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-tyrants.html">Tyrants</a> (<a href="#f5">5</a>)</li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/potential-malware.html">In the pipe</a></li>
</ul>
</td>
<td>
<ul>
<li><a href="/proprietary/malware-appliances.html">Appliances</a></li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/malware-cars.html">Cars</a></li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/malware-in-online-conferencing.html">Conferencing</a></li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/malware-edtech.html">Ed Tech</a></li> href="/proprietary/malware-edtech.html">EdTech</a></li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/malware-games.html">Games</a></li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/malware-mobiles.html">Mobiles</a></li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/malware-webpages.html">Webpages</a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="/proprietary/malware-adobe.html">Adobe</a></li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/malware-amazon.html">Amazon</a></li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/malware-apple.html">Apple</a></li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/malware-google.html">Google</a></li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/malware-microsoft.html">Microsoft</a></li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">
<ol>
<li id="f1"><em>Back door:</em> any feature of a program
that enables someone who is not supposed to be in control of the
computer where it is installed to send it commands.</li>
<li id="f2"><em>Digital restrictions management, or
“DRM”:</em> functionalities designed to restrict
what users can do with the data in their computers.</li>
<li id="f3"><em>Jail:</em> system that imposes censorship on
application programs.</li>
<li id="f4"><em>Tether:</em> functionality that requires
permanent (or very frequent) connection to a server.</li>
<li id="f5"><em>Tyrant:</em> system that rejects any operating
system not “authorized” by the manufacturer.</li>
</ol>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p>Users of proprietary software are defenseless against these forms
of mistreatment. The way to avoid them is by insisting on
<a href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html">free
(freedom-respecting) software</a>. Since free software is controlled
by its users, they have a pretty good defense against malicious
software functionality.</p>
<h3 id="latest">Latest additions</h3>
<p style="margin-bottom: .5em">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2024-01</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --></p>
<p id="uhd" class="important" style="margin-top: 0">
<strong><a href="/proprietary/articles/uhd-bluray-denies-your-freedom.html">
UHD Blu-ray denies your freedom</a> — The anatomy of an Authoritarian
Subjugation System</strong></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: .5em">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2022-07</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" --></p>
<p id="uefi-rootkit" class="important" style="margin-top: 0">
<strong><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-insecurity.html#uefi-rootkit">
UEFI makes computers vulnerable to advanced persistent threats that are almost impossible
to detect once installed...</a></strong></p>
<ul class="blurbs">
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary.html. -->
<li id="M202111201"> id="M202405240">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2021-11</small>' class="date-tag">2024-05</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>NordicTrack,
<p><a
href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/05/pleas-for-open-sourcing-refunds-as-spotify-plans-to-brick-car-thing-devices/">Spotify
sold a company that sells
exercise machines with ability music streaming device but they no longer support it</a>. Due to show videos <a
href="https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2021/11/locked-out-of-god-mode-runners-are-hacking-their-treadmills/">limits
what people
its proprietary nature, it can watch, and recently disabled a feature</a> no longer be updated or even used. Users
requested Spotify to make the software that was
originally functional. This happened through automatic update runs on the device libre,
and Spotify refused, so these devices are now e-waste. Spotify is
now offering refunds to save the purchasers from
losing money on these products, but this wouldn't prevent the products
from being e-waste, and
probably involved wouldn't save users from being jerked around by
Spotify. This is an example of how software that is not free controls
the user instead of the user controlling the software. It is also an
important lesson for us to insist the software in a universal back door.</p> device be libre
before we buy it.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary.html. -->
<li id="M202111200"> id="M202403150">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2021-11</small>' class="date-tag">2024-03</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Hundreds of Tesla drivers <a
href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/nov/20/tesla-app-outage-elon-musk-apologises">were
locked out of
<p><a
href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/15/24101887/microsoft-bing-popups-windows-11-google-chrome">
Microsoft is using malware tactics to get users to switch to
their cars as web browser</a>, Microsoft Edge, and their search engine, Microsoft
Bing. When users launch the Google Chrome browser Microsoft injects
a result pop up advertisement in the corner of Tesla's app suffering from an
outage</a>, which happened because the app is tethered screen advising users to company's
servers.</p>
switch to Bing. Microsoft also imported users Chrome browsing data
without their knowledge or consent.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary.html. -->
<li id="M202111110"> id="M202403110">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2021-11</small>' class="date-tag">2024-03</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Some researchers at Google <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/93bw8y/google-caught-hackers-using-a-mac-zero-day-against-hong-kong-users">found
a zero-day vulnerability
<p><a
href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240311120515/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/11/technology/carmakers-driver-tracking-insurance.html">
GM is spying on MacOS,
which crackers used drivers</a> who own or rent their cars, and give
away detailed driving data to target people visiting insurance companies through data
brokers. These companies then analyze the data, and hike up insurance
prices if they think the data denotes “risky driving.”
For the websites</a> car to make this data available to anyone but the owner or
renter of the car should be a media outlet and crime. If the car is owned by a pro-democracy labor and political group in Hong
Kong.</p>
<p><small>Please note rental
company, that the article wrongly refers company should not have access to crackers as “<a href="/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html#Hacker">hackers</a>”.</small></p> it either.</p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary.html. -->
<li id="M202110250"> id="M202312230">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2021-10</small>' class="date-tag">2023-12</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Ed Tech companies use their surveillance power to
manipulate students, and direct them into tracks towards various
levels of knowledge, power and prestige. The article argues that <a
href="https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/medialse/2021/10/25/algorithmic-injustice-in-education-why-tech-companies-should-require-a-license-to-operate-in-childrens-education/">these
companies should obtain licenses
<p>Surveillance cameras put in by government
A to operate</a>. That wouldn't hurt,
but surveil for it doesn't address the root of the problem. All data acquired
in a school about any student, teacher, or employee must not leave
the school, and must may be kept surveilling for
government B as well. That's because A put in computers a product <a
href="https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-cctv-moscow-spying-schemes-investigation/32747767.html">
made by B with nonfree software</a>.</p>
<p><small>(Please note that belong to the school
and run free (as in freedom) software. That way, this article misuses the school district
and/or parents can control what is done with those data.</p> word “<a
href="/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html#Hacker">hack</a>” to
mean “break security.”)</small></p>
</li>
<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary.html. -->
<li id="M202111090"> id="M202311101">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2021-11</small>' class="date-tag">2023-11</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>A building in LA, with a supermarket in it,
<p>Microsoft has been annoying people who wanted to
close the proprietary program OneDrive on their computers, <a
href="https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2021-11-09/column-trader-joes-parking-app">demands
customers load a particular app
href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/8/23952878/microsoft-onedrive-windows-close-app-notification">
forcing them to pay for parking in give the parking
lot</a>, and accept pervasive surveillance. They also reason why they were closing it</a>. This
prompt was removed after public pressure.</p>
<p>This is a reminder that angry users still have the
option power to make
developers of entering their license plate numbers in a kiosk. That is
an injustice, too.</p> proprietary software remove small annoyances. Don't
count on public outcry to make them remove more profitable malware,
though. Run away from proprietary software!</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p class="button right-align">
<a href="/proprietary/all.html">More items…</a></p>
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