Windows 10: Important Problem: How To Prevent App From Calling Home?

NiceAndShy there is a simple option in Libre/Openoffice to turn off and it will not check for updates.

 

Thanks so much for your detailed reply!

However, I'm using the Windows 10 Pro built-in firewall and I can't recall the time it notified me that OpenOffice needed to access the internet.

I just need to find which file(s) to block in the Windows 10 built-in firewall to block...

Be great if someone knew!

 

I know I can do this, but I want to block all outgoing communication from OpenOffice and not just its ability to check for updates.

Even if I turn off updates in OpenOffice my big concern is that OpenOffice will be able to contact the Internet and upload the contents in the OpenOffice files.

 

This OpenOffice feature you talk about that allow it to contact the Internet and upload content does not exist,
it's like saying that your car will turn itself on, open the gate and run away from your box; hope it's clear.

Good luck.

 

Well it just seems so easy for OpenOffice to send data back to the Internet without me knowing...

Surely I'm not the only one who thinks this way?

Am I safer because OpenOffice is an open source app?

 

NiceAndShy,
Follow the how to in my post #23. When you get to the 'This Program Path' click 'Browse' and look in your 'C:\Program Files (x86)\OpenOffice 4\program' folder. This is where you will find the .exe your wanting to block (soffice.exe , swriter,exe, etc). Depending on which features you have installed for OpenOffice you will have to create a Custom Outbound Rule for each of the .exe.

 

Thank you!

I'm going to try this as this is a VERY important problem I want to solve.

Without me buying another app, is it possible for me to double check that OpenOffice is unable to contact the Internet?

 

Is it possible for me to check if OpenOffice has uploaded any information to the Internet?

Thank you!

 

Have a look at this thread on the MDL site and see if it can help to quickly block what you want

Windows Firewall with Advanced Security | My Digital Life Forums

 

Start Menu / Administrative Tools / Resource Monitor - Click on the Network Tab, look for one of the .exe (soffice.exe , swriter.exe, etc)

Short Answer is No. To my knowledge the only thing Open Office might upload is a crash report (if it has crashed) and it ask you if it can do that.

 

Thanks!

Is it really true that open source projects are more secure because more eyes have seen the code so it's less likely for there to be a "back door" to the Internet like what I'm describing?

 

Yes, it is really true.

 

Theoretically yes, practically no. OpenSSL is free SSL used for banking and etc and there has been a simple bug for years. It was discoverable within minutes, but no one has found it, because everyone was saying, it is open source, if there is a bug, someone will find it, anyone but me and SSL is only a few KBs big, OO has several hundreds MBs of code. You should not trust open source blindly.

 

As you say yourself it was a *bug* not a backdoor, and the OP was asking about the fact that it's less likely that there
is a back door in a open source program;
so i think the OP is right and that it is more simple to hide a back door in a executable no one can inspect the code of
or it's less likely to find an open source back door.

 

Thanks for your input! This is definitely interesting.

I'm still trying to find a way to lock down the OpenOffice app so I can know for sure that it's unable to contact the internet.

Should I look into using a different app?