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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 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 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 service is equivalent to using a copy of released software. In particular, a service can be 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 November 2024, the pages in this directory list around 600 instances of malicious functionalities (with more than 720 references to back them up), but there are surely thousands more we don't know about.</p> <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 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/proprietary-addictions.html">Addictions</a></li> <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-back-doors.html">Back doors</a> (<a href="#f1">1</a>)</li> <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-censorship.html">Censorship</a></li> <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-coercion.html">Coercion</a></li> <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-coverups.html">Coverups</a></li> <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-deception.html">Deception</a></li> <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-drm.html">DRM</a> (<a href="#f2">2</a>)</li> <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-fraud.html">Fraud</a></li> <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-incompatibility.html">Incompatibility</a></li> <li><a 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> </td> <td> <ul> <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-appliances.html">Appliances</a></li> <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-cars.html">Cars</a></li> <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-in-online-conferencing.html">Conferencing</a></li> <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-edtech.html">EdTech</a></li> <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-games.html">Games</a></li> <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-mobiles.html">Mobiles</a></li> <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-webpages.html">Webpages</a></li> </ul> <ul> <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-adobe.html">Adobe</a></li> <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-amazon.html">Amazon</a></li> <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-apple.html">Apple</a></li> <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-google.html">Google</a></li> <li><a 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, or “DRM”:</em>  functionalities designed to restrict what users can do with the data in their computers.</li> <li id="f3"><em>Jail:</em>  system that imposes censorship on application programs.</li> <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 rejects any operating system not “authorized” by the manufacturer.</li> </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>. 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"> <small class="date-tag">2024-01</small></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"> <small class="date-tag">2022-07</small></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">  <li id="M202411030"> <small class="date-tag">2024-11</small> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/nov/03/addicted-to-love-how-dating-apps-exploit-their-users">Dating apps exploit their users</a>; fundamental features require an expensive subscription, and they are designed to be addictive.</p> </li>  <li id="M202309080"> <small class="date-tag">2023-09</small> <p>BMW has <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alistaircharlton/2023/09/07/bmw-drops-controversial-heated-seats-subscription-to-refocus-on-software-services/"> retreated from making car owners pay for a subscription to the heated seats feature</a>.</p> <p>Customers rejected it. Bravo for them!</p> <p>Instead BMW plans to require subscriptions for digital services and disservices—things related to the Orwellian tracking done by any “connected” car.</p> </li>  <li id="M202312270"> <small class="date-tag">2023-12</small> <p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/security/2023/12/exploit-used-in-mass-iphone-infection-campaign-targeted-secret-hardware-feature/"> A back door in Apple devices</a>, present and abused from at least 2019 until 2023, allowed crackers to have full control over them by sending iMessage texts that installed malware without any action on the user's part. Infections, among other things, gave the intruders access to owners' microphone recordings, photos, location and other personal data.</p> </li>  <li id="M202405240"> <small class="date-tag">2024-05</small> <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>  <li id="M202403150"> <small class="date-tag">2024-03</small> <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> </ul> <p class="button right-align"> <a href="/proprietary/all.html">More items…</a></p> </div> </div>  <div style="clear:both"></div> <div id="language-container"> <div class="backtotop"> <hr class="no-display" /> <a href="#top"><b>▲</b></a> </div> <div id="languages" class="rounded-corners"> <div class="button"> <a href="#top" class="close"><span>BACK TO TOP</span></a> </div> <div id="set-language" class="button"> <span class="gnun-split"></span> <a href="/server/select-language.html?callback=/proprietary/proprietary.html" rel="nofollow"> Set language <span class="gnun-split"></span> </a> </div> <p>Available for this page:</p> <div id="translations"> <p> <span dir="ltr" class="original">[en] <a lang="en" hreflang="en" href="/proprietary/proprietary.en.html">English</a>  </span> <span dir="ltr">[es] <a lang="es" hreflang="es" href="/proprietary/proprietary.es.html">español</a>  </span> <span dir="ltr">[fr] <a lang="fr" hreflang="fr" href="/proprietary/proprietary.fr.html">français</a>  </span> <span dir="ltr">[it] <a lang="it" hreflang="it" href="/proprietary/proprietary.it.html">italiano</a>  </span> <span dir="ltr">[ja] <a lang="ja" hreflang="ja" href="/proprietary/proprietary.ja.html">日本語</a>  </span> <span dir="ltr">[nl] <a lang="nl" hreflang="nl" href="/proprietary/proprietary.nl.html">Nederlands</a>  </span> <span dir="ltr">[pl] <a lang="pl" hreflang="pl" href="/proprietary/proprietary.pl.html">polski</a>  </span> <span dir="ltr">[pt-br] <a lang="pt-br" hreflang="pt-br" href="/proprietary/proprietary.pt-br.html">português</a>  </span> <span dir="ltr">[ru] <a lang="ru" hreflang="ru" href="/proprietary/proprietary.ru.html">русский</a>  </span> <span dir="ltr">[tr] <a lang="tr" hreflang="tr" href="/proprietary/proprietary.tr.html">Türkçe</a>  </span> <span dir="ltr">[zh-cn] <a lang="zh-cn" hreflang="zh-cn" href="/proprietary/proprietary.zh-cn.html">简体中文</a>  </span> <span dir="ltr">[zh-tw] <a lang="zh-tw" hreflang="zh-tw" href="/proprietary/proprietary.zh-tw.html">繁體中文</a>  </span> </p> </div> </div> </div> <div id="mission-statement" role="complementary"> <div class="backtotop"> <hr class="no-display" /> <a href="#header"><span>BACK TO TOP </span>▲</a> </div> <div style="clear: both"></div> <blockquote> <p style="direction:ltr; text-align:left"><a href="//www.fsf.org"><img id="fsfbanner" src="/graphics/fsf-logo-notext-small.png" alt=" [FSF logo] " width="75" height="25" /></a><strong> “The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is a nonprofit with a worldwide mission to promote computer user freedom. 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