Microsoft is silently checking your computer for outdated versions of Office

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(Photo: Microsoft)

Microsoft is going to discover if you are one of those people who still use old versions of Microsoft Office. Microsoft has released a silent update to analyze which version of Office you have installed, according to patch notes. The company will receive the information back to HQ. It just wants to know how many users are still using Office 2007 and 2010. The support for 2007 and 2010 has ended long ago. However, 2013 will be available in the fields by April 2023.

The Register flagged the "update" as a Jan. 17, 2010 patch. The description of the update reads: "This update was intended to help Microsoft identify which users are out-of support (or soon to become out-ofsupport) versions Office. This includes Office 2013, Office 2010, Office 2007, and Office 2007. The update will be silent and not install anything on the user's computer. Microsoft claims that the update is safe because it has been virus-scanned and stored on a secure server. After the update, you won't have to restart your computer.

The lingering question remains: What will Microsoft do with this information? The company doesn't provide the answer so we don't know the right answer. What information does it collect in addition to what version of Office are you using, if any? It doesn't say it explicitly so we don't know. It doesn't say if it will leave any files on your computer after it has done its due diligence.

Microsoft wants its customers using the most recent version of its software. This is not only a profit motive, but also a security risk. Products that are not supported will be invulnerable for ever. There are many potential vulnerabilities in older Office versions. A quick search revealed many. It's not difficult to imagine Microsoft using this information for an easy upsell. Microsoft previously claimed that it was using the Windows 11 sign-out menu to test ads for its products.

It is easy to imagine a popup or other advertisement integrated into Windows, berating you for using outdated software. You can always find a link to download the latest version for a small fee. Microsoft's troubleshooting tool can be used if you don't like the silent update. You can "show or hide" the updates. However, it is not recommended that you stop Windows from updating. The file can be downloaded here. However, you must use it at your own risk.

Read

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• Microsoft will change a Windows Security Default in order to block ransomware
• Microsoft Testing "Unsupported Hardware" Watermark on Windows 11 Desktop

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By: Josh Norem
Title: Microsoft Is Silently Checking Your PC for Outdated Versions of Office
Sourced From: www.extremetech.com/computing/342492-microsoft-is-silently-checking-your-pc-for-outdated-versions-of-office
Published Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2023 18:03:02 +0000