SpywareWatchdog/articles/nvidia.html

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<h1>Nvidia Graphics Card Drivers</h1>
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<img src="../images/nvidia_logo.png" alt="Nvidia logo">
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<p><a href="../articles/index.html">Back to catalog</a></p>
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<h2>UNFINISHED ARTICLE- UNDER CONSTRUCTION</h2>
<p>This article is about the graphics card driver software used for modern Nvidia graphics cards. It is not about any one specific driver.</p>
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<h2>Spyware Level: <font color=red>Not Rated</font></h2>
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<p>
Nvidia produces graphics cards, and of course to use this hardware you need to install their drivers. Unfortunately Nvidia's drivers are riddled with
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spyware and the installation process is a minefield of serious privacy pitfalls, with options selected by default that have serious privacy
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implications they have if actually enabled. It isn't possible to install any of their drivers without bundled spyware being installed onto your computer,
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which needs to be cleaned up after the installation.
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</p>
<h3>Nvidia's installer is bundled with other spyware programs</h3>
<p>
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When attempting to install an Nvidia graphics card driver you will be shown an option to install the spyware program GeForce Experience onto your computer.
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This program is malware that is also developed by Nvidia as well, and has a huge range of serious privacy issues, including scanning and uploading information
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about the files onto your computer to Nvidia. (An article about GeForce Experience is planned)
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</p>
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<img src="../images/nvidia_bundling.png" alt="Nvidia driver installation screenshot">
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<h3>Nvidia drivers install telemetry services onto the host machine</h3>
<p>
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When the installation is finished, these services will show up (This is on Windows 7):
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</p>
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<img src="../images/nvidia_spyware_service.png" alt="Nvidia spyware services">
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<p>
These can at least be disabled like so:
</p>
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<img src="../images/nvidia_spyware_disable.png" alt="Nvidia spyware service disable">
<p>Nvidia telemetry domains can also be blocked at the hosts file although the source is two years old:
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<ul>
<li>0.0.0.0 telemetry.gfe.nvidia.com</li>
<li>0.0.0.0 gfe.nvidia.com</li>
<li>0.0.0.0 services.gfe.nvidia.com</li>
<li>0.0.0.0 accounts.nvgs.nvidia.com</li>
<li>0.0.0.0 events.gfe.nvidia.com</li>
<li>0.0.0.0 images.nvidiagrid.net</li>
<li>0.0.0.0 rds-assets.nvidia.com</li>
<li>0.0.0.0 assets.nvidiagrid.net</li>
</ul>
</p>
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<hr>
<h2>Sources</h2>
<p>
<a name="1">1.</a>
<a href="https://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec14.html">Section 14 of the HTTP/1.1 Specification</a>
<a href="http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20160922055153/http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec14.html">[webarchive.loc.gov]</a>
<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180522154719/http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec14.html">[web.archive.org]</a>
<a href="http://archive.is/20180425174415/https://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec14.html">[archive.is]</a>
<a href="https://webarchive.nrscotland.gov.uk/20170610193333/http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec14.html">[webarchive.nrscotland.gov.uk]</a>
<a href="http://www.webcitation.org/6tcP2LTQW">[www.webcitation.org]</a>
<a href="http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20160108175646/http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec14.html">[arquivo.pt]</a>
<a href="http://veebiarhiiv.digar.ee/a/20150704125123/http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec14.html">[veebiarhiiv.digar.ee]</a>
<a href="http://webarchive.proni.gov.uk/20110424091530/http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec14.html">[webarchive.proni.gov.uk]</a><br>
<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180410192231/https://www.reddit.com/r/nvidia/comments/8b5nej/updated_remove_mandatory_login_of_geforce/">Blocking Nvidia Domains</a><br>
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</p>
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<hr>
<p><b>
This article was last edited on 7/22/2018
</b></p>
<p>
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