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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>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> 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 April, 2017, December 2023, the files pages in this directory list around 300 600
instances of malicious functionalities, functionalities (with more than 710 references to
back them up), but there are surely thousands more we don't know about.</p>

<div class="toc">
<div class="companies">
<h3>Company

<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 type of product</h3>
<ul> 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/malware-apple.html">Apple Malware</a></li> href="/proprietary/proprietary-addictions.html">Addictions</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-microsoft.html">Microsoft Malware</a></li> href="/proprietary/proprietary-back-doors.html">Back doors</a> (<a href="#f1">1</a>)</li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-google.html">Google Malware</a></li> href="/proprietary/proprietary-censorship.html">Censorship</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-adobe.html">Adobe Malware</a></li> href="/proprietary/proprietary-coercion.html">Coercion</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-amazon.html">Amazon Malware</a></li> href="/proprietary/proprietary-coverups.html">Coverups</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-webpages.html">Malware in webpages</a></li> href="/proprietary/proprietary-deception.html">Deception</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-mobiles.html">Malware in mobile devices</a></li> href="/proprietary/proprietary-drm.html">DRM</a> (<a href="#f2">2</a>)</li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-games.html">Malware in games</a></li> href="/proprietary/proprietary-fraud.html">Fraud</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-appliances.html">Malware in appliances</a></li> href="/proprietary/proprietary-incompatibility.html">Incompatibility</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-cars.html">Malware in cars</a></li> 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>
</div>

<div class="malfunctions">
<h3>Type of malware</h3>
  </td>
  <td>
   <ul>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-back-doors.html">Back doors</a></li> href="/proprietary/malware-appliances.html">Appliances</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-censorship.html">Censorship</a></li> href="/proprietary/malware-cars.html">Cars</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-coverups.html">Coverups</a></li> href="/proprietary/malware-in-online-conferencing.html">Conferencing</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-deception.html">Deception</a></li> href="/proprietary/malware-edtech.html">EdTech</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-incompatibility.html">Incompatibility</a></li> href="/proprietary/malware-games.html">Games</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-insecurity.html">Insecurity</a></li> href="/proprietary/malware-mobiles.html">Mobiles</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-interference.html">Interference</a></li> href="/proprietary/malware-webpages.html">Webpages</a></li>
    
   </ul>
   <ul>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-sabotage.html">Sabotage</a></li> href="/proprietary/malware-adobe.html">Adobe</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-surveillance.html">Surveillance</a></li> href="/proprietary/malware-amazon.html">Amazon</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-subscriptions.html">Subscriptions</a></li> href="/proprietary/malware-apple.html">Apple</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-tethers.html">Tethers</a> to
servers</li> href="/proprietary/malware-google.html">Google</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-drm.html">Digital 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</a> management, or “DRM” means
     “DRM”:</em>  functionalities designed to restrict
     what users can do with the data in their computers.</li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-jails.html">Jails</a>—systems

    <li id="f3"><em>Jail:</em>  system that impose imposes censorship on
     application programs.</li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-tyrants.html">Tyrants</a>—systems

    <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 reject rejects any operating
     system not “authorized” by the manufacturer.</li>
<li><a href="/proprietary/potential-malware.html">Potential Malware</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
   </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> 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="M202405240">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2024-05</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <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 music streaming device but they no longer support it</a>. Due to
    its proprietary nature, it can no longer be updated or even used. Users
    requested Spotify to make the software that 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 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 device be libre
    before we buy it.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary.html. -->
  <li id="M202403150">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2024-03</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <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 web browser</a>, Microsoft Edge, and their search engine, Microsoft
    Bing. When users launch the Google Chrome browser Microsoft injects
    a pop up advertisement in the corner of the screen advising users to
    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="M202403110">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2024-03</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <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 drivers</a> who own or rent their cars, and give
    away detailed driving data to 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 car to  make this data available to anyone but the owner or
    renter of the car should be a crime.  If the car is owned by a rental
    company, that company should not have access to it either.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary.html. -->
  <li id="M202312230">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2023-12</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Surveillance cameras put in by government
    A to surveil for it may be surveilling for
    government B as well.  That's because A put in 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 this article misuses the 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="M202311101">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2023-11</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Microsoft has been annoying people who wanted to
    close the proprietary program OneDrive on their computers, <a
    href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/8/23952878/microsoft-onedrive-windows-close-app-notification">
    forcing them to give the 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 power to make
    developers of 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>
</div>

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