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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 January, 2017, November 2024, the files pages in this directory list around 260 600
instances of malicious functionalities, functionalities (with more than 720 references to
back them up), but there are surely thousands more we don't know about.</p>

<div class="toc">
<div class="companies">
<ul>
  <li><strong>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</strong></li>
  <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-apple.html">Apple Malware</a></li>
  <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-microsoft.html">Microsoft Malware</a></li>
  <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-adobe.html">Adobe Malware</a></li>
  <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-mobiles.html">Malware in mobile devices</a></li>
  <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-kindle-swindle.html">Malware in make other changes,
subscribe to the Amazon
      Swindle</a></li>
  <li><a href="/proprietary/malware-games.html">Malware in games</a></li> <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-appliances.html">Malware in appliances</a></li>
</ul>
</div>

<div class="malfunctions">
<ul>
<li><strong>Type of malware</strong></li> href="/proprietary/proprietary-addictions.html">Addictions</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-back-doors.html">Back doors</a></li> 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-interference.html">Interference</a></li> href="/proprietary/proprietary-subscriptions.html">Subscriptions</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-surveillance.html">Surveillance</a></li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-subscriptions.html">Subscriptions</a></li> href="/proprietary/proprietary-tethers.html">Tethers</a> (<a href="#f4">4</a>)</li>
    <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary-tethers.html">Tethers</a> to
servers</li> 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/proprietary-drm.html">Digital 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</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 reject 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>
</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="M202409200">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2024-09</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Kia cars were built with a back door that enabled the company's
    server to locate them and take control of them. The car owner had
    access to these controls through the Kia server. That the
    car owner had such control
    is not objectionable. However, that Kia itself had such control
    is Orwellian, and ought to be illegal. The icing on the Orwellian
    cake is that the server had a security fault which <a
    href="https://samcurry.net/hacking-kia">allowed absolutely anyone to
    activate those controls</a> for any Kia car.</p>

    <p>Many people will be outraged at that security bug, but this was
    presumably an accident. The fact that Kia had such control over cars
    after selling them to customers is what outrages us, and that must
    have been intentional on Kia's part.</p>
  </li>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary.html. -->
  <li id="M202411030">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2024-11</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <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>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary.html. -->
  <li id="M202309080">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2023-09</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <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>

<!-- Copied from workshop/mal.rec. Do not edit in proprietary.html. -->
  <li id="M202312270">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2023-12</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <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>

<!-- 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>
</ul>
<p class="button right-align">
<a href="/proprietary/all.html">More items…</a></p>
</div>

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