[SOLVED] Outlook Mail telemetry

[New User 337]

I have an Intel desktop with Win 10 Pro and the MS Office Suite which includes Outlook. I recently began a trial of Eset security software and set it to require my permission to scan any outgoing mail communications. These are non-"send" functions that seem to be triggered by various security certificates and would not be visible under normal circumstances. I was surprised at the volume of communication between Outlook and other entities when I just clicked on a message. To be clear this is just clicking on, not opening, the email, which may be just splitting hairs - I don't know. Some of the activity even pinged a French media server with a ".fr" country code. I know this has been going on for a long time and I guess it is SOP but now that I'm aware I want to "plug as many holes as possible", if that's even an option. I'm not asking how to reduce or eliminate these notices because I can switch them off at anytime. I want to know if there is a way to selectively block the non-MS communication to minimize tracking and are there email programs that are more privacy focused?

Thanks

 

[Unolocogringo]

I use Spybot Anti Beacon.
Blocks most telemetry uploads with the free version. And all with the paid version.

Spybot Anti-Beacon - Spybot Anti-Malware and Antivirus

Spybot – Search & Destroy offers a comprehensive set of functions and tools. This one is about preventing your data being sent out without your consent.

www.safer-networking.org

 

[New User 337]

Thanks I'll give it a try

 

[Math Geek]

unfortunately MS as a whole has gone to 100% spying at all times with anything they put out. windows is a keylogger and any MS program reports back 100% of what you do.

something like spybot is a good start, i've used it since it came out myself.

but to block more of it, takes a firewall you can set to ask you everytime for every bit of traffic. it will learn what to block and what to let through as you authorize stuff. even then some telemetry will still go through since it originates before anything you install to stop it and will squeek through anyway.

my research has shown that the only way to block it 100% is to do it off the pc in question. a firewall after the pc will block it since it does not care where it comes from. the pc will send something no matter what you do to stop it.

 

[New User 337]

Thanks for the second vote on spybot and other recommendations. I want to do something externally eventually but don't have the time right now. Since my PC isn't Win 11 compatible I may be giving Linux a spin at some point first to see how hard it is to change OSes.