Microsoft is reportedly auto-installing the HP Smart app on Windows 10 and 11 PCs

Lee Duna@lemmy.nz to Technology@lemmy.world – 492 points –
Microsoft is reportedly auto-installing the HP Smart app on Windows 10 and 11 PCs - gHacks Tech News
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Yes they are in fact doing this. I noticed this (working in IT) recently across several machines. Fucking Microsoft. I removed and blocked it immediately.

What mechanism is installing it? We image workstations and they're very locked down and managed. Is Microsoft circumventing it's own control mechanisms or is this one of those "bring your own" situations where you don't really manage the machines.

Its coming from the Windows store. Not sure what triggers it. I don't have any HP printers, so it's not like an auto-detect thing.

You should be disabling Windows Store for all your workstations via this group policy:

Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Store

I'm guessing there's also a bunch of other unmanaged default settings if Store was still enabled. Would suggest implementing a gpo update to all the workstations in your domain, should already be managing settings this way. Create an OU and duplicate your current workstation gpo there, throw some workstations in for testing and go to town with recommendations you find online for a good enterprise workstation gpo. When everything is working start cutting over workstations to the new OU. Or roll out as per your employers change control processes.