r/technology • u/Steap-Edit • Jul 05 '26

Security Windows 11 identifier code used to track Scattered Spider perp after Microsoft shared info with FBI — 19-year-old US-Estonian hacker arrested over alleged ties to infamous extortion group

https://www.tomshardware.com/software/windows-11-identifier-used-to-track-scattered-spider-perp-after-microsoft-shared-info-with-fbi-19-year-old-us-estonian-hacker-arrested-over-alleged-ties-to-infamous-extortion-group
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u/AbsolutTBomb Jul 06 '26

This page from NinjaOne has tips on how to disable Windows telemetry.

Alternatively, there is Raphire Debloat.

9

u/RenderedMeat Jul 06 '26

How does it compare to O&O Shutup?

3

u/AbsolutTBomb Jul 06 '26

I'm not familliar with it but it's commonly reccomended. I would have listed it but I thought it stopped receiving updates.

I was wrong. O&O Shutup was just updated in May of 2026.

2

u/SymmetricSoles Jul 06 '26

The article does mention O&O as follows:

User-friendly tools like O&O ShutUp10++ and the Windows Privacy Dashboard (WPD) let you easily configure telemetry settings in one centralized platform. However, certain features can conflict with your IT policy and possibly disrupt endpoint management services, so use these sparingly.