Epic game store is epic at spying on you

[Hellfire]

I always had some hesitation about the Epic Game store but now I am glad I never installed it.

In a recent post over on Reddit a user has found just what the EGS gets up to when installed on your laptop.

Firstly, it is clear the client is listing all of the processes running on the system. As seen below

As well as following up with trying to access .dll files of other programs.

What's more worrying is that the user goes on to show that the client likes accessing your root certs on the PC.

As well as all things Internet related, including Cookies, Keys and other aspects.

As well as a hardware survey, like Steams, without asking your prior permission to do so

However, none of this is not as bad as the final, Despite users not wishing to link their Epic games account with their steam account or their friends list, and without any permission or notification Epic Games launcher is taking a copy of your steam localconfig.vdf. a file containing your entire steam data, Friends list, Games owned, playtime history.

Epic Games have confirmed that it is in fact true, with Tim Sweeney stating Epic "ought to only access the localconfig.vdf file after the user chooses to import Steam friends" .

With Epics links to Chinese company Tencent, it really does make you wonder what they're compiling all this data for and if it isn't getting passed on to other parties.

 

[kastriot]

So what's new?

 

[phanbuey]

Oh wow... hidden fiddler. Sweet.

Fiddler can actually record traffic, probably not what they're doing, but still - cheeky.

This is the problem with all these launchers - having one isn't terrible but its still not secure, having the customary 4-5 all phoning home, opening ports, and getting access to connection monitoring and hardware info is absurd.

Consumers get all nervous and make these huge deals about the cache prefetcher exploits; but then have a few of these running on their systems...

 

[INSTG8R]

“Just another Launcher” right?

 

[eidairaman1]

Check steam, origin too

 

[64K]

Epic claims they are only importing your Steam friends and play history with your explicit permission. I don't trust them at this point so I won't be signing up for an account anytime soon.

 

[phanbuey]

I've got nothing to hide. If Epic wanna see WCG running 16 tasks on my PC then they're welcome to do it lol. Aside from that, my PC is pretty boring.

I mean they do have access to your cookies so they'll know what you looked at on Amazon, what you were doing on other sites etc. Then when you're playing your games there will be a sweet little ad for that thing you were thinking of maybe buying.

It's not really what they're doing now, it's where they're headed that's unnerving.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Epic Games have confirmed that it is in fact true

And anyone is surprised by this how? Seriously. Even Steam does a few things like this, but at least they rope it in somewhat. Another reason to prefer and support GOG.

I've got nothing to hide. If Epic wanna see WCG running 16 tasks on my PC then they're welcome to do it lol. Aside from that, my PC is pretty boring.

That's hardly the point and you're an exception to the rule.

 

[R-T-B]

I've got nothing to hide.

Nothing irks a privacy advocate more than this phrase.

It's by this phrase that liberty dies.

Oh wow... hidden fiddler. Sweet.

It's actually querying a fiddler the user already has installed. Not the same.

This is likely anticheat functions, is my bet. Still disturbing.

 

[lexluthermiester]

It's by this phrase that liberty dies.

Spot on!

 

[moproblems99]

I would be curios to know what level of effort the other launchers go about. I am sure EGS 'learned' from those who came before. It is how 'innovation' works.

 

[Hellfire]

It's actually querying a fiddler the user already has installed. Not the same.

This is likely anticheat functions, is my bet. Still disturbing.

Since when do the game clients have Anti Cheat installed? This was taken before any game had been downloaded, and the requests came from the epicgamelauncher exe file, not an anti cheat program.

The thing is, I have nothing to hide either, but it doesn't mean I want to allow them to snoop into my computer, the same as I wouldn't let police come into my house without a warrant, it's not about hiding your stuff, it's about your rights.

I'd be curious to see how other launchers stand up compared to this.

 

[moproblems99]

Since when do the game clients have Anti Cheat installed?

If this anticheat resource was going to be used globally on games then they would likely install it during the launcher install to prevent having to the check on each game install.

 

[lexluthermiester]

The thing is, I have nothing to hide either, but it doesn't mean I want to allow them to snoop into my computer, the same as I wouldn't let police come into my house without a warrant, it's not about hiding your stuff, it's about your rights

Again, spot on. No one has the right to spy on people like this, regardless of an EULA.

 

[Hellfire]

If this anticheat resource was going to be used globally on games then they would likely install it during the launcher install to prevent having to the check on each game install.

I understand but the anti cheat programs have their own executable, they don't run from the launcher.exe executable.

 

[R-T-B]

Since when do the game clients have Anti Cheat installed?

Since VAC.

I would be curios to know what level of effort the other launchers go about. I am sure EGS 'learned' from those who came before. It is how 'innovation' works.

Indeed. Steam VAC is heavily integrated with the steam executable. They are likely cloning that idea.

Thing is, it doesn't matter. It needs to ask for consent for these actions or go away.

Again, spot on. No one has the right to spy on people like this, regardless of an EULA.

No one reads EULAs anyways. And who can blame them? They are walls of texts. Companies know this and are hiding increasingly scary stuff in them.

It's why sadly, I've started reading them.

 

[AmioriK]

I mean they do have access to your cookies so they'll know what you looked at on Amazon, what you were doing on other sites etc. Then when you're playing your games there will be a sweet little ad for that thing you were thinking of maybe buying.

It's not really what they're doing now, it's where they're headed that's unnerving.

Then maybe I should unplug my damn PC from the internet and never look back, IDK, maybe buy some books or, perhaps... Go outside. What's the point in getting worked up and upset if I can't do jack? That's why i made that stupid post, trying to be 'okay' with the fact that I can't do anything to change that so why even bother making a fuss. I honestly just don't care anymore. The world is **** fest anyway.

Am I going to stop using Epic Games Launcher because of this? No I bloody well ain't. I spent 70 quid on Metro Exodus and I want to goddamn play it.

 

[hat]

It's pretty tough. Everyone wants your data. Pretty much anything you use that connects to anything else is collecting your data, to some extent. The only way to truly avoid it is to live under a rock somewhere. But you can limit it somewhat by avoiding services you don't need to use. It's one reason why I stay far away from social networking sites, and I try to limit my use of Google products. I'm stuck with Windows, so I use ShutUp10... but I don't trust that it's going to be very effective.

Funnily enough, most of this is done in the name of advertising, and I use an adblocker, so I actually see very few ads.

 

[R-T-B]

What's the point in getting worked up and upset if I can't do jack?

I think this is the worst myth. That people are powerless. They aren't.

 

[AmioriK]

I think this is the worst myth. That people are powerless. They aren't.

Tell me one thing I can do then, boycott Epic game launcher? Waste 70 quid? Write to my mp? (lol). Maybe I can make a t shirt that says 'i don't support violation of privacy' then go and wear it in Tesco. Oh wait, I don't leave the house.

 

[64K]

Tell me one thing I can do then, boycott Epic game launcher? Waste 70 quid? Write to my mp? (lol). Maybe I can make a t shirt that says 'i don't support violation of privacy' then go and wear it in Tesco. Oh wait, I don't leave the house.

I don't mean to single you out but Epic was questionable as a service when they paid Deep Silver to make Exodus a timed exclusive on the Epic store. There are plenty of people, myself included, who are waiting until it comes to Steam.

 

[rtwjunkie]

Since VAC.



Indeed. Steam VAC is heavily integrated with the steam executable. They are likely cloning that idea.

Thing is, it doesn't matter. It needs to ask for consent for these actions or go away.



No one reads EULAs anyways. And who can blame them? They are walls of texts. Companies know this and are hiding increasingly scary stuff in them.

It's why sadly, I've started reading them.

One of the most overlooked programs available: EULAlyzer. Made by Brightfort, who is reputable. When I have bothered to use it, it is very informative.
Can be gotten safely at MajorGeeks or at Brightfort site.

https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/eulalyzer.html

http://www.brightfort.com/eulalyzer.html

 

[newtekie1]

Again, spot on. No one has the right to spy on people like this, regardless of an EULA.

The EULA is exactly what give someone the right to spy on people like this. I bet the permission is buried in there, or it should be. Don't like being spied on? Then don't agree to the EULA.

 

[AmioriK]

I don't mean to single you out but Epic was questionable as a service when they paid Deep Silver to make Exodus a timed exclusive on the Epic store. There are plenty of people, myself included, who are waiting until it comes to Steam.

guess I'm just a dumbass then. Shame that I give zero f**s anymore. Spy all you want epic lol.

Ignorance is bliss.

 

[Valantar]

I sent a request to Epic Support for any and all data they've collected on me - which from my understanding of the GDPR, they are legally obligated to provide. We'll see what they respond with, I guess. Considering that the only thing I've ever used the launcher for is installing Fortnite thinking I might try it out one day, they really shouldn't have much.