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< title > Spyware Watchdog< / title >
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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" >
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< 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 >
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< / 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 >
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< 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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< p > < b >
This article was last edited on 7/22/2018
< / b > < / p >
< p >
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If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), visit us at the git repo on < a href = "https://codeberg.org/shadow/SpywareWatchdog" > Codeberg< / a > . All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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< / p >
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< a href = "https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/legalcode" > < img src = "../images/cc0.png" alt = "CC0 License" > < / a >
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