Microsoft accused of Malware-like Bing Wallpaper app

Martin Brinkmann
Nov 21, 2024
Microsoft
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Microsoft released the official Bing Wallpaper application on the Microsoft Store this week. The app was available as a standalone download previously only.

It is a basic app that changes the wallpaper of the Windows desktop to a new image each day and helps users find out more about the images. The store app, in fact, is a Win32 application.

Turns out, the app has a darker side.

Malware-like behavior

bing wallpaper

Software engineer Rafael Rivera, known for apps like EarTrumpet, installed the Bing Wallpaper application and analyzed its behavior. He published his findings on X.

Here are his key findings:

  • The app installs Bing Visual Search automatically on the Windows 10 or 11 system.
  • Displays a prompt on first run that includes an option to make Microsoft Bing the default homepage and search engine in Edge, Firefox, and Chrome.
  • Includes code to "peruse and decrypt" Edge, Chrome, and Firefox cookies.
  • Has access to the geolocation web API.
  • Suggests to make Microsoft Edge the default browser.
  • Launches a tab in the default (non-Edge) browser that recommends enabling the Microsoft Bing Search extension for that browser.

We verified some of the claims and they appear to be accurate. Rivera suggests to avoid the app at all costs, which is also our suggestion at the time.

Better alternatives for Bing Wallpaper

There are plenty of apps and services out there that push a new wallpaper to the desktop regularly. Heck, Windows Spotlight is baked right into the operating system.

If you prefer non-Microsoft services, you have plenty of options as well. Here are a few suggestions:

  • Lively Wallpaper is a free app that supports static and animated wallpapers. You can display a video file or an animated GIF, or even a webpage if you want as the wallpaper.
  • Active Desktop Plus is a similar app that supports animated wallpapers among other things.
  • DynaWin is another free wallpaper app that can set the wallpaper based on the time of day or other events.
  • Space fans may want to check out SpaceEye. It is a free app that is specialized in satellite imagery.
  • Chameleon, last but not least, is another powerful app that can change the background of the desktop based on time or weather.

Closing Words

It is rather sad to see that Microsoft is implementing behaviors in some of its apps that is generally only found in malware apps. Microsoft Defender would probably flag Bing Wallpaper as a PUP, a potentially unwanted program, if it would not come from Microsoft.

What is your take on this? Would you install Bing Wallpaper? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Summary
Microsoft accused of Malware-like Bing Wallpaper app
Article Name
Microsoft accused of Malware-like Bing Wallpaper app
Description
The Bing Wallpaper app appears to include behaviors and features that are generally only found in malicious apps.
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Ghacks Technology News
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Comments

  1. VioletMoon said on November 23, 2024 at 4:23 pm
    Reply

    Martin mentions another program over on BetaNews in his weekly column: “Last Wallpaper is an open source app that downloads and displays Bing’s wallpaper of the day on the Windows desktop each day. The app supports other sources, Copernicus, NASA, Wikipedia, and several others.”

    https://github.com/nikvoronin/LastWallpaper

    It is truly difficult for me to understand why those who use a computer, actually use a computer for productive work, can become obsessed with finding a wallpaper that should be seen for only a minute or two each session. The rest of the time, in theory, should be spent on Excel or Word or the Internet [completing research]. Even if one is gaming all the time, a wallpaper is seldom seen. Whatever the program–but playing “cutesy” with the UI rarely leads to increased productive capacity.

    Find a “pretty” picture, set it as the desktop background, arrange the icons if necessary, and get to work.

    Oh, I understand now: After all the fiddling around with the “appearance” of the OS, one sits back in his/her chair and admires the “artwork” and his profound capability in making such a lovely theme.

    1. MrHabushi said on December 2, 2024 at 7:20 pm
      Reply

      Lighten up. People use their PCs for lots of different things, and certainly on larger high-res monitors you’re unlikely to want or need the entire display taken up by a single window, therefore there’s a good chance at least part of your desktop is visible a lot of the time.

      You don’t see the outside of your car the majority of the time you use it yet people will still take time choose the colour and style they want. It isn’t a new or unusual concept.

  2. M$ = CORRUPTION! said on November 23, 2024 at 2:36 am
    Reply

    @Buzz:

    “Despite all of this mistrust and complaining Windows is still the most popular OS out there.”

    Betty has five STDs and still a never ending supply of johns. She is still the most popular prostitute out there. A whore is still a whore.

  3. Christopher said on November 22, 2024 at 2:53 pm
    Reply

    This type of questionable and malware like action by MS is why some people are sitching to linux. A big reason MS has such a large market share of the PC market is large businesses, which lock down the OS, and that there is no option when buying a new PC to not get MS installed. Sure you can get a Mac but most people do not buy those. Just try and buy a new laptop or desktop with out MS intalled or no OS. You still have to pay for the OS, and most people do not know how to wipe that OS and install linux.

  4. Stella said on November 22, 2024 at 2:48 pm
    Reply

    They really want to push Edgerternet Chromexplorer and Copilot on everyone slowly.

  5. Stella said on November 22, 2024 at 2:46 pm
    Reply

    I don’t download anything from the microsoft store, but good to know.
    We can’t trust Microsoft or Google with their ads.

  6. Prince GKIS said on November 22, 2024 at 1:03 pm
    Reply

    This is a concerning issue as it raises questions about user consent and transparency. If the Bing Wallpaper app operates in a way that feels intrusive or difficult to uninstall, it undermines trust in Microsoft’s practices. Companies should prioritize user experience and ensure their applications are easy to manage and respect user preferences. Transparency and ethical behavior are crucial for maintaining credibility in the tech industry.

  7. Buzz said on November 22, 2024 at 10:50 am
    Reply

    Despite all of this mistrust and complaining Windows is still the most popular OS out there. It is very sad that so many are not prepared to take ownership of their privacy and move to another operating system. If your car was an unreliable, gas guzzling sloth would you just replace it with another model from the same company? Yet that is what the majority of computer users do, replacing their slow Windows PC each time Microsoft change the minimum usage requirements.

  8. yoda shot first said on November 22, 2024 at 1:20 am
    Reply

    Poor Windows.

    I can change DESKTOP ENVIRONMENTS and WINDOW MANAGERS.

    What can you do, shitty Microsoft? (a convicted monopoly)

  9. Tachy said on November 22, 2024 at 12:49 am
    Reply

    I use edge for a limited number of sites. M.$ chnages my default home page and search engine back to bing every few months against my wishes and without my permission.

    When I get that popup I haven’t been able to avoid “Use reccomended settings” I always close it with the X instead of pushing the choices of “do it now” or “do it later”.

    Apparently the X also means “change my setting to what M.$ wants”.

  10. Iain said on November 21, 2024 at 5:26 pm
    Reply

    Are there good Linux equivalents?

    1. Allwynd said on November 23, 2024 at 5:03 am
      Reply

      I use Linux Mint XFCE, feels like running Windows XP, fast and lightweight.

      The UI feels a bit limited and not as customizable as Cinnamon, but uses less resources and is very minimalistic, as opposed to the current trends of oversized elements that look like they were made for touch screen, but aren’t.

      For me Mint is good, because it’s based on Ubuntu, which is in turn biased on Debian, which is the distribution that I’m most used to. I’m dure there are more versatile ones, but Mint works best for me as I don’t want to mess around with anything anymore. I want to be an average casual user and not fiddle with settings or terminals.

      I can play games through Steam, PortPrton and Wine. I even have Epic Games Store and a few more launchers running and that’s all I need.

      I will never return to the garbage malware bloatware archaic mess that is Windows.

    2. Lizard said on November 22, 2024 at 11:49 am
      Reply

      I use Fedora Linux KDE…looks and feels like Windows.

    3. Roosevelt said on November 22, 2024 at 5:55 am
      Reply

      Kubuntu has 8 sites to download free wallpapers for free, even you can get the Bing ones.

      1. Iain said on November 22, 2024 at 11:15 am
        Reply

        thanks :-)

  11. Tom Hawack said on November 21, 2024 at 4:48 pm
    Reply

    The only time Microsoft surprises me is when it carries out irreproachable code.

    1. M. Soft said on November 21, 2024 at 5:56 pm
      Reply

      “irreproachable code” ? Surely you jest.

      1. Tom Hawack said on November 22, 2024 at 10:20 am
        Reply

        @M. Soft, “to jest” = “to joke”. I just learned the word :)
        I should have added that I cannot remember the last time Microsoft surprised me in this context!

  12. John said on November 21, 2024 at 4:19 pm
    Reply

    Can’t say I am surprised Microsoft is doing this. It is pretty unethical and does border on being compared to what malware does. My last Windows PC died a week ago and I decided not to replace for now. I really do not like the corporate focus now, and I question if Microsoft’s leadership cares at all about respecting end users.

    1. Tachy said on November 22, 2024 at 12:52 am
      Reply

      Quote from Star Trek DS9 “That’s a stupid question!” (meant to be humor in this context)

      The only thing M.$ cares about is profit. In our reality, they are the equivalant of the Ferengi.

  13. Toxic said on November 21, 2024 at 3:08 pm
    Reply

    The whole Windows OS starting from 8 is like malware,does stuff without users knowledge or approval,it’s spying on the user etc…this is no surprise at all

    1. eWaste11 said on November 22, 2024 at 2:11 am
      Reply

      Ever since Windows 10 came out, Microsoft has been treating its consumer user base like dirt. I am not sure why anyone would want to stay with Microsoft any longer. Their evilness surpasses that of Google. Satya is managing this company like a team of con artists.

      There has been a noticeable decline in the quality of work and ethical behavior. There is no one there who takes pride in their work or cares about the products that they have created. Pretty much every update has been a dud with a lot of bugs and problems. They are using questionable tactics like using malware and adware to push new features no one asked for. They are turning all of their native programs into Web sites, which is a less than optimal solution. They are trying to force their users to move to the cloud and own nothing. Microsoft needs to be dismantled, and Satya needs to retire already.

      1. nope said on November 22, 2024 at 9:45 pm
        Reply

        That’s where you are wrong, we are not the consumer, we are the product being sold to advertising consumers.

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