Could Windows and installed apps upload all my personal files?

Dear all

I have deleted Onedrive and disabled File system access in Privacy.

  1. I would like to know, which other ways that my personal files could be uploaded in a non-malicious non-hacker way?
  2. Just by using Windows, Microsoft could upload all my personal files to themselves if they would?
  3. Does every installed App / software have full access to my whole drive? How can I found out, how much access it has?

Thank you for your interest and reply

Best regards

@[email protected]

Yes, every application has access to everything. The only exception are those weird apps that use the universal framework or whatever that thing is called, those need to ask for permissions. But most of the apps on your PC have full access to everything.

And Windows does collect and upload a lot of personal information and they could easily upload everything on your system. The same of course applies for the apps as well, they have access to everything except privileged folders (those usually don’t contain your personal data, but system files).

  • catloaf@lemm.eeEnglish
    8·
    21 hours ago

    Yes, in theory any program, including Windows itself, could upload data to the Internet if not blocked.

    Windows can be restricted by a network firewall. Programs can be restricted by filesystem permissions and the OS firewall, and not running them as admin.

    But is this happening? Unlikely, unless you have malware. You can inspect your traffic.

    • happeningtofry99158@lemmy.worldOP
      4·
      21 hours ago

      Programs can be restricted by filesystem permissions and the OS firewall, and not running them as admin

      can you explain how to do this?

      steam games for example are nearly impossible to run without admin, can I restrict filesystem permissions for these software?

      • BombOmOm@lemmy.worldEnglish
        6·
        19 hours ago

        steam games for example are nearly impossible to run without admin

        What steam game requires admin permissions? I’m not aware of any games that require admin permissions.

          • BombOmOm@lemmy.worldEnglish
            2·
            19 hours ago

            Well, that is fair. Those anti-cheats are in user-land on not-windows. Don’t think I have given admin permissions to any game, including those with Easy Anti-Cheat, etc.

            I’m still surprised Microsoft allows those to exist. Particularly for something as mundane as games.

      • reddeadhead@awful.systemsEnglish
        4·
        20 hours ago

        As for restricting access to files you could run them under a separate user account. User A shouldn’t have access to User B’s home folder. Although if its something that would need granted admin access I think it would have access to other users files again.