Microsoft Defends Silent Windows Updates

Microsoft is reconsidering its updating practices after coming under fire for "silently"downloading a Windows patch—even for users who had opted for notifications. Microsoft defended itself, pointing out that the silent fixes affected the update software itself, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports. Skeptical opponents maintain similar situations in the past came with alerts.

A Windows product manager conceded Microsoft "should have been clear in our explanation of this process earlier," but the practice has raised serious concerns over privacy: "Writing files to a user's PC without notice is behavior usually associated with hacker websites," said an article in newsletter Windows Secrets. "The question being raised is, 'Why is Microsoft operating in this way?'"