At What Point Does a Service Become Spyware?

Spyware, like other malware, is a problem for any organization. Since your business generates, collects, and uses considerable amounts of data, there are plenty of organizations that want to get their hands on it. You spend so much time and money protecting your data against threats on the Internet, but what if the spyware were to just come standard on the computer you just bought?

HP, one of the traditionally more well-respected names in business and consumer hardware, has seemingly been doing exactly that, adding a software, HP Touchpoint Analytics, into their Windows Update. The software, which typically is part of the larger HP Touchpoint Manager, regularly sends a random cache of data from the device. The rationale HP gave for this decision was to relieve “time-consuming tasks of device support and lifecycle management.”

Given that explanation, most wouldn’t bat an eye, but HP does this with data that belongs to users, without the user’s consent, and for some, that is a major problem. If you are the skeptical type and would prefer to not have a program with such liberties working on your organization’s computers, consider bringing this up to your IT professional and they can ensure any software that isn’t vital is removed.

As for Agilitec’s standard procedure we utilize for our clients, we will typically remove all “bloatware” provided by the hardware manufacturer prior to installing each machine.  We also typically recommend and offer Dell computers over HP or other manufacturers, however we are happy to work with any hardware our clients are utilizing. 

If you want to talk about a software strategy and PC deployment model that truly suits your business, call Agilitec IT today at (702) 720-1700.