What is corsair service doing in background?

[Godlydevils]

Hi,

 

There are two processes named:

Corsair.Module.CpuIdDevice

Corsair.Module.DisplayAdapter

 

that comes with icue software, they are making my games lag, and when idle, makes my fan run at full speed, they consume CPU and RAM.

 

What are they?!

Why are they?!

Why isn't there any way to disable them?!

When I just need 4 buttons of my mouse to work, why do I have to download a 1gb of tool? runs 10 services and processes! and they put a lot of time in adding spywares in their tool, but cannot innovate good hardware?

[DevBiker]

First - do you really need to do the "spyware" title? C'mon, Chicken Little ... the sky isn't falling and they aren't 'spyware'.

Both of those provide lower level access for specific functionality. One is for the CPU monitoring. The second is for the display sync (IIRC).

And, again, it's not spyware. So please, can we dispense with the drama/fearmongering/FUD/Fake News/BS?

[Godlydevils]

11 hours ago, DevBiker said:

First - do you really need to do the "spyware" title? C'mon, Chicken Little ... the sky isn't falling and they aren't 'spyware'.

Both of those provide lower level access for specific functionality. One is for the CPU monitoring. The second is for the display sync (IIRC).

And, again, it's not spyware. So please, can we dispense with the drama/fearmongering/FUD/Fake News/BS?

Isn't it a drama that I only need 1 gb app to enable DPI up/down and profile up/down buttons to work on my mouse?

Isn't it fearmongering that in order to control my mouse, I need to let the app Monitor health/temperature aspects of my CPU for what? I have disabled the plugins and monitoring options in the icue app's settings.

isn't it BS that these among other services and processes are running in background and even though I don't need them, they are active, not only active, but actually consuming my resources without my permission, and I don't have control, freedom or choice?

 

Quit being a dumb fanboy except if you are corsair employee, then I understand

[c-attack]

You can't have it both ways.  When peripherals and internal devices had separate software packages, everyone complained they had to install 2 different programs.  If you haven't noticed all of these companies moved to a single unified software platform for all functions several years ago.  That is the current state of things.  CUE is responsible for managing several dozen different kinds of devices from KBs and mice to fan controllers, RGB controllers, cooling units, external displays and lighting.  I am trying to imagine what it would be like if there were individual packages for each device class.  Chaos at best, but the pendulum may swing back that way at some point.  Right now you have companies making a large variety of products and they are all managed by a single software program to promote interconnectivity.  You may not use them.  Other people do.  I bet your complaint to Microsoft must be pretty long.

 

40 minutes ago, Godlydevils said:

I only need 1 gb app to enable DPI up/down and profile up/down buttons to work on my mouse?

Well that simplifies things for you anyway.  DPI shifts and profile changes are possible without software on mice with internal storage.  For those mice you can load up CUE, save your preferred DPI settings, and most mice have 3 lighting/DPI/profile storage slots. Quit CUE, and it services, and set it not to launch on start up.  You only need launch the program when you wish to alter the saved settings on the device.  However, not all mice have storage capacity so it's going to depend on which mouse you purchased.  

Edited February 21, 2022 by c-attack

[DevBiker]

On 2/21/2022 at 9:14 AM, Godlydevils said:

Isn't it a drama that I only need 1 gb app to enable DPI up/down and profile up/down buttons to work on my mouse?

Isn't it fearmongering that in order to control my mouse, I need to let the app Monitor health/temperature aspects of my CPU for what? I have disabled the plugins and monitoring options in the icue app's settings.

isn't it BS that these among other services and processes are running in background and even though I don't need them, they are active, not only active, but actually consuming my resources without my permission, and I don't have control, freedom or choice?

 

Quit being a dumb fanboy except if you are corsair employee, then I understand

The drama and fearmongering are calling it spyware and you know it.

The other aspect ... we can certainly debate and discuss. But calling these services spyware is fearmongering, drama and unnecessary. They are not spyware and you can point to no evidence at all that it is. So - you are just spewing BS because you don't like that there are additional services to run your mouse. That's fine ... and it OK to have that opinion. But when you move from your opinion to making statements that can be verified objectively that are flat out and demonstrably wrong AND are only made to support your opinion ... well, that's a bunch of BS propaganda. Goebbels would, however, be proud of your mastery of the art of deception to make a point. And while I know that we are surrounded by such propaganda these days, that doesn't mean that we need to stoop to that level. You can make your point - and express your opinion - without the nonsense.

Dumb fanboy, eh? That's so very mature - you cannot actually have a reasoned and rational discussion like a moderately intelligent human being so you resort to flinging insults.

[Youknowit]

On 2/21/2022 at 3:48 PM, DevBiker said:

They are not spyware and you can point to no evidence at all that it is

Ironic. Where is your evidence it isn't spyware?

Telemetry is a big money making thing now. Lots of apps phone home, for diagnostics, marketing or selling data.

These apps will want to learn your habits and PC usage. Are you going to now pretend they don't lol. 

What a joke. To even go reeling off, with insults like "drama/BS" is ironic also when we know telemetry is hot everywhere. You really do read like an employee/fan boy/unaware guy. 

Stop lieing. Corsair data mines, end of. As if, they don't lol. As if the concept of data mining warants multiple attacks on someone's message as insane considering how hot data mining is. 

Spyware it more likely is. I say it is spyware also. Sorry employee, do your little scrambling act again. It's cute watching you try and convince anonymous readers lol. 

Edited March 20 by Youknowit

[c-attack]

Did you just create an account to reply to a two year old post about a different version of CUE?

 

Your logic is “telemetry is everywhere” so thus everyone is doing it unless they can prove they are not. Your world must be a scary place with everyone out to get you. Maybe it would be better to stay home with the doors locked, read a book, and stay offline. Maybe read a lot of books. 

[Youknowit]

1 hour ago, c-attack said:

Did you just create an account to reply to a two year old post about a different version of CUE?

 

Your logic is “telemetry is everywhere” so thus everyone is doing it unless they can prove they are not. Your world must be a scary place with everyone out to get you. Maybe it would be better to stay home with the doors locked, read a book, and stay offline. Maybe read a lot of books. 

 

"When you Use our Software or Certain Products

We collect certain Personal Data when you use our Software and certain products. For example, we may process Identity Data, Device/Network Data, Usage Data, or Audio/Visual Data relating to you and the relevant product or Software you are using. We may also create Inference Data derived from information collected through your use of our products/Software.

We generally use this information as you request, or in accordance with our legitimate business interests (or subject to any necessary consents), for certain telemetry, bug fixing, crash reporting, and similar logs and metrics relating to the performance and operation of the Software or Hardware. We may also process Personal Data collected via our products and Software for our Commercial Purposes, including for personalization, to create consumer profiles, and for marketing purposes, as described below"

- https://www.corsair.com/uk/en/s/privacy-policy

So what if i made an account to reply to a year old post on a diffetent version of CUE. Better than 20,000 posts in a Corsair forum... the version means jack all, if anything it would be worse now.

Stop lieing to people, stop trying to muddy the water.

You want me to insult you so i get banned lol. Gaslighting people.

Pathetic. Corsair themselves say they data mine. 

CUE is spyware. End of.

 

Edited March 20 by Youknowit

[Youknowit]

If the 'relevant' and 'inference data' in that privacy policy is anything like Call of Duty's WER crash report folder in the cod folder that finds crash reports relating to 'fortnite.exe' or 'foobar music player' or 'fallout76.exe' then damn. Microsoft charges Devs a fee to reveal WER crash reports to Devs. They will have many clients. 

https://www.reddit.com/r/ModernWarfareII/comments/yq4pcw/pc_users_with_crashing_issues_check_your_crash/?sort=confidence (comments show this) 

Wouldn't shock me if the generalistic legal speak is alluding to the same thing CoD crash reports deem an 'issue'. Any excuse to know more about their customer PC and PC habits.

With such vague legal speak, these companies can't be trusted with their closed source software. Companies also like to gaslight people, wink wink, smile smile. It is clear in their privacy policy text that they themselves confirm they data mine however. 

 

 

Edited March 20 by Youknowit

[c-attack]

The essential element of spyware is you are NOT informed about the data collection and certainly don’t have the option to opt out. You’ve already demonstrated that doesn’t apply here. I can’t help you with your other issues. 

[Youknowit]

45 minutes ago, c-attack said:

The essential element of spyware is you are NOT informed about the data collection and certainly don’t have the option to opt out. You’ve already demonstrated that doesn’t apply here. I can’t help you with your other issues. 

"
We generally use this information as you request, or in accordance with our legitimate business interests (or subject to any necessary consents)"

They "generally" let you opt out of it. Subject to "necessary consents".

Not a full opt out. Those words do not sound confirming of a point blank escape of their data mining by a person's request, i.e. a toggle opt out button.

Hell, even Windows won't let you wiggle out of no telemetry. You can switch off the default that is "optional" to "required". Reads very much the same, "necessary" and "required", doesn't it.

So yeah, spyware, buried in vague safe legal talk, that may satisfy the court, but not publically give too much away as to possibly create negative PR. Not informed of the specifics. And an opt out in full does not read like that in the their privacy policy text. 

Spyware.

 

 

 

Edited March 20 by Youknowit

[Youknowit]

So where's your talk of me being paranoid now? Gaslighting, such a disgusting act.

[LeDoyen]

if you hate telemetry, or care about privacy in any way, just block the domains used by corsair for it and you're done, or better yet, read the privacy policies before installing a software, they show them on every installer, where people usually click "accept" without looking. If they are not acceptable, well return the products and get something else ?

Accepting an EULA including the privacy terms, then complaining about them is a bit weird. They are presented to every user so they can make that choice before installing said program.

Don't get me wrong, iCUE is hot garbo and the amount of telemetry they implemented certainly didn't help in making it better or more stable over the years, but creating an account to unearth an old post and rage on it is weird.

[Youknowit]

2 hours ago, LeDoyen said:

if you hate telemetry, or care about privacy in any way, just block the domains used by corsair for it and you're done, or better yet, read the privacy policies before installing a software, they show them on every installer, where people usually click "accept" without looking. If they are not acceptable, well return the products and get something else ?

Accepting an EULA including the privacy terms, then complaining about them is a bit weird. They are presented to every user so they can make that choice before installing said program.

Don't get me wrong, iCUE is hot garbo and the amount of telemetry they implemented certainly didn't help in making it better or more stable over the years, but creating an account to unearth an old post and rage on it is weird.

My post was to backup the OP who was getting gaslighted that he is nuts. I show the written words by Corsair that confirm the OP's worries are valid actually. It is spyware.

"Accepting an EULA including the privacy terms, then complaining about them is a bit weird."

I don't have iCUE. You think people don't second guess a decision lol, and you find this weird? That's what is weird!

"They are presented to every user so they can make that choice before installing said program."

Oh how delightful. Most people aren't aware of data mining, so they'll just accept and avoid reading a long dull vague law document. There motive to read it, does not yet exist. Hence my posts to educate.

"but creating an account to unearth an old post and rage on it is weird."

Hopefully you're now informed of the reasons for my post. 

Rage, for a good reason. The wording of the privacy policy from Corsair themselves leaves a silhouette that reads spyware by its definition, uninformed of specifics... a limited opt out toggle... People always suspect this sort of software to get cheeky, learning all sorts of stuff about your PC. Well... they're not wrong either. Their feeling to call it spyware is not fear mongering and it can be backed up. Hence my posts. It's the internet, i found this thread via Google on a fairly general search query related to Corsair. My words aren't wasted. It can be read by many in the furure via search engines.

Don't worry, i avoid or hinder software like this for a good reason, not just privacy but limit its useless processing on my machine. Who knows what junk code and ugly implementations lurk waiting to spit micro stutters in my game. 

So ironically the fear mongering is on those who call it fear mongering, putting fear out to keep angel wings on their liked brands. This may not be you, you instead seem to want to know my motive, i've said that already.

 

Edited March 20 by Youknowit

[Youknowit]

Now, informing of details is missing, but they can claim informing as the details will be under an umbrella term...

But.

They wanted to spy, they hid the legal get out of jail card in a dull swamp. OH IT'S NOT SPYWARE A PIECE OF TEXT FOUND IN THE SWAMP SAYS IT ADMITS TO SPYING. Where's the commitment to make that spying obvious? Intent is now obvious... to want to spy, not inform of their spying. The scales of intent are heavier towards spying than informing of their intent. Intent to spy. Spyware. Buuut a fairly new thing now... is companies say they're committed to privacy... to try and move those scales of intent...
Obviously the awareness of software spying on all sorts of stuff is clearly not in that sentence.
Intent to obscure is still heavier than the intent to inform, thus revealing intent to spy.

They know most people won't read the T&C, their motive to do so has not been made, which it might be made if they had awareness of data mining. If you don't know something, do you really want to learn a possible something by reading all of the T&Cs? 99% of people don't, it was designed this way. I'm here to shine the light on the activity, make them aware for future software T&Cs. Ironically Corsair would loathe me for that, thus showing intent to spy, not inform.

I know and others know they want to spy. And that's that.

Edited March 20 by Youknowit

[c-attack]

14 hours ago, Youknowit said:

I don't have iCUE. You think people don't second guess a decision lol, and you find this weird? That's what is weird

Well, that does clear all this up. It explains why you are unaware there is a check box in the software to not share your usage data with Corsair. It’s fairly prominent in the settings under Privacy. This is one of those times where it helps to have some  experience with the subject and large text just won’t be sufficiently persuasive. 

[Youknowit]

6 hours ago, c-attack said:

Well, that does clear all this up. It explains why you are unaware there is a check box in the software to not share your usage data with Corsair. It’s fairly prominent in the settings under Privacy. This is one of those times where it helps to have some  experience with the subject and large text just won’t be sufficiently persuasive. 

Quote

"We collect certain Personal Data when you use our Software and certain products. For example, we may process Identity Data, Device/Network Data, Usage Data, or Audio/Visual Data relating to you and the relevant product or Software you are using. We may also create Inference Data derived from information collected through your use of our products/Software.

We generally use this information as you request, or in accordance with our legitimate business interests (or subject to any necessary consents)"

- https://www.corsair.com/uk/en/s/privacy-policy

This is still not clear, "We generally use this information as you request"... and "subject to necessary consents". This sounds like any opt out, is... limited.

Synonyms for the word "Necessary" Includes "Required" (79 Synonyms & Antonyms for necessary | Thesaurus.com) and "Required" is the lowest a Microsoft Windows Home or Pro user can fall back to, away from the default telemetry setting of "Optional". This sounds all too much the same. If only more light could be shed on this vague wording, no, it won't happen, it could hurt PR... It suits the law, job done...

6 hours ago, c-attack said:

It’s fairly prominent in the settings under Privacy.

This reads like PR. It's fairly prominent in the settings... under Privacy... In the, thingy, under thingy. Lol.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have no proof of Corsair doing the things below, but I think this is a method to circumvent any opt-out checkboxes or toggles:

 

Quote

"Beginning with Windows Vista, Windows provides crash, non-response, and kernel fault error reporting by default without requiring changes to your application. The report will include minidump and heap dump information if required. Applications instead use the WER API to send application-specific problem reports to Microsoft. "

-https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/wer/about-wer

Quote

"the WER protocol has become a catch-all for any sort of telemetry data to be sent to
Microsoft....  WER is the default crash handler for Windows, so most applications, such as Internet Explorer, Adobe
Reader, Skype, and anything else that hasn’t taken special care to avoid it, will have their crash reports sent to Microsoft. Microsoft does provide access (for a price) to vendors that wish to see the crash reports for their applications."

http://0xdabbad00.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/notes_on_wer.pdf

 

Quote

"WER has been extended beyond monitoring crashes and unresponsive processes. WER includes support for many new types of non-critical events, such as performance issues. This enables developers to learn more about the experiences their customers have with the applications they have developed."

- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/wer/what-s-new-in-wer

The above link (What's New in WER - Win32 apps | Microsoft Learn) says above that quoted paragraph: "The following list summarizes the new features of Windows Error Reporting (WER) for Windows Vista:", FOR windows vista (not "ONLY for"), regardless, functions for the WER API, added in vista are still used:

One of the WER API function articles has the text in it that reads:

Quote

"Minimum supported client: Windows Vista [desktop apps | UWP apps]"

- WerRegisterFile function (werapi.h) - Win32 apps | Microsoft Learn 

"Minimum", so Vista first supports it. UWP apps were added with Windows 10 and are also used in Windows 11. So functions born in Vista for the WER API are still used by windows 10/11 UWP apps today. Normal desktop apps (non-UWP apps) like Adobe Reader etc. will leverage these WER API functions also. Just to make that clear, it does also say "desktop apps".

Corsair being a big company probably is a partner of sorts with Microsoft, they already say they are:

Quote

"By fostering partnerships with technology leaders like Intel, AMD, Nvidia, Zoom, and Microsoft,"

- Corsair Business Solutions | CORSAIR

Whether it relates to WER this partnership... I can't say, but going by that quote, they've got Microsoft's number at least. So potentially Corsair could be buying WER reports. Once they have have a certificate:

Quote

"Software & hardware manufacturers may access their error reports using Microsoft's Windows Dev Center Hardware and Desktop Dashboard (formerly Winqual) program.[15]... Microsoft requires that interested vendors obtain a VeriSign Class 3 Digital ID or DigiCert certificate.[16]"

- Windows Error Reporting - Wikipedia

Corsair if they bought into the WER reports, can potentially leverage the WER API to do the data mining, possibly bypassing any who checked their software's opt out checkboxes.

That wouldn't be clear to customers at all. Essentially getting the reports from Microsoft, of which, a software vendor could potentially leverage Microsoft's technology to gather, compile and report. They can just call them a third party, affiliate or partner that offered data processing services on their behalf: 

Quote

"Service Providers. Corsair may engage third parties to act as our service providers and perform certain tasks on our behalf, such as processing or storing data"

- CORSAIR PRIVACY POLICY

In fairly recent news '(Dynamic lighting effort' is Microsoft offering a single RGB platform to different vendor's RGB functionality):

Quote

 

"Partners
Several partners have already joined the dynamic lighting effort:

Acer is partnering with Microsoft on Dynamic Lighting. More details to come.
ASUS ROG plans to introduce Dynamic Lighting compatible models later this year.
Customers are seeking easier ways to manage RGB lighting within their gaming devices, which is why HP is planning to support Microsoft’s Dynamic Lighting initiative across various OMEN, HP Victus, and HyperX products as an end-to-end launch collaborator.
Logitech is partnering with Microsoft on Dynamic Lighting. All Logitech G LIGHTSYNC RGB devices are supported.
Razer will have more Dynamic Lighting compatible products on an ongoing basis.
SteelSeries is partnering with Microsoft on Dynamic Lighting. More details to come.
Twinkly plans to release Dynamic Lighting-compatible devices."

- Dynamic lighting devices | Microsoft Learn 

 

Windows will unify all RGB apps, that's good, but, why would all these companies do away with their rampant data mining?  I know myself with Razer, the insanity of RAM usage in all its processes, I never did use Wireshark software, but I'm sure it would show all the constant needless chatter in the background (uncheck the Npcap on your ethernet adapter properties if you use Wireshark if it's not in use, it's buggy at times).
I very very much doubt that they would, they bought into WER is my bet. Windows will feed them all the data (at a fee, or not, as it promotes their operating system's feature), and third party devs can help leverage that with the WER API.

This helps lessen the PR burden from data mining, privacy, usage data, telemetry which has surfaced a lot more now. So partners can hide their wordings much better.

Corsair, aren't on that list. They probably feel their data mining setup and popularity can still outdo WER alone, they probably do still use WER though on top of their own data collection technology, to maximise their spy scope on your computer and to still keep the data pouring in on any customer who potentially reduced  Corsair's side of the data mining by 'opting out'.

It's dodgy. It really is. The fact obscurity is playing a role, rather than making it obvious, tells us all that there is a great itch to milk a person's machine of data. The intent is to spy, ("discern or make out, especially by careful observation."), spyware. Of course they want to glean our computer's data! Bloody hell. 

Don't let any PR dissuade you people, this stuff is sneaky and they want to spy on your PC's usage. Diagnostics to improve their stuff... well... sure, some of it... but that's not all:

Quote

For example, we may “sell” certain Personal Data when we engage in certain social media marketing campaigns, conduct targeted online advertising, or sell or grant access to Personal Data to our marketing partners, sponsors, and other advertisers.

- CORSAIR PRIVACY POLICY

You buy Corsair RAM, with fancy RGB, part of the sale, is you get to customise the lights. Part of the product, you would think. A feature. No, they want you to be the product too. CLEARLY.

They want to keep making money out of you, after you paid for something... THE CHEEK!

Edited March 21 by Youknowit

[DevBiker]

On 3/19/2024 at 8:23 PM, Youknowit said:

Ironic. Where is your evidence it isn't spyware?

Telemetry is a big money making thing now. Lots of apps phone home, for diagnostics, marketing or selling data.

These apps will want to learn your habits and PC usage. Are you going to now pretend they don't lol. 

What a joke. To even go reeling off, with insults like "drama/BS" is ironic also when we know telemetry is hot everywhere. You really do read like an employee/fan boy/unaware guy. 

Stop lieing. Corsair data mines, end of. As if, they don't lol. As if the concept of data mining warants multiple attacks on someone's message as insane considering how hot data mining is. 

Spyware it more likely is. I say it is spyware also. Sorry employee, do your little scrambling act again. It's cute watching you try and convince anonymous readers lol. 

All of this, dude? Seriously? And the entire waste of good electricity that this generated?

You really need to get a hobby other than making tin foil hats.

And no, I'm not a Corsair employee.

[Youknowit]

2 hours ago, DevBiker said:

All of this, dude? Seriously? And the entire waste of good electricity that this generated?

You really need to get a hobby other than making tin foil hats.

And no, I'm not a Corsair employee.

Trying to stifle the eye opening information are we. Well guess what, Corsair's privacy policy does not declare a full stop to all reporting of usage data with opting out. Microsoft's WER data mining being leverageable by third party companies is a fact and those reports can be given to those third party companies, that is a fact, and they can read that above. Again. Let's make people aware of all the physical evidence of the shadiness shall we... I will reinforce all what we already know with these companies and their antics, with physical evidence, and very possible, very related avenues, which we very much know, suits those antics wonderfully.

You want an emotional response to make the messenger (me) seem unstable and thus my message seem unreliable and also want me to branch off, where you can keep branching me off away from the key information. PR or no PR agent, you probably get a kick out of it, in some form.

And that really is nasty sounding. How would my factual and declared theoretical words relating to Corsair, make you choose to be nasty to me. Hmmm. That's odd. Almost like, my words have hurt you also... are you conjoined to Corsair in some way? Or just a nasty person, who likes to lash out? Both? Probably both.

Also you may not be a Corsair employee but Corsair could pay another firm to do PR for them... Which when it comes to PR efforts on the internet on behalf of companies this model seems all the rage...

Waste of electricity... Mr 10.1K posts in a forum about Corsair products; RAM, PSU, Headset, Mice… from my stand point, I'm glad I'm not like you, let's put it that way... Oh but you will say to me, you try and help others... Ahhhhh ok... Well, I haven't wasted any electricity, I too have informed others and help better hone in on the wording in Corsair's privacy policy for people, making them aware how limited their opt-out is, how shady it all is, and how much information they want to glean from their computers... You're telling me everyone is aware of the physical evidence for such things? I have also shown a possibility (Which you rudely call tin foil hat) that Corsair might also be using Microsoft's WER data mining or could be in the future, another avenue Corsair customers should be aware of... it's their data. And it's not just the freakiness of lack of privacy or the cheek of making money from it, it's the effect on performance, there's no telling how poorly implemented this data mining is, and whether it can put micro stutters in our games...

Why would all the rampant data mining (privacy policies of these firms will show you that, well, the general areas, not ALL the specifics) software like Razer partner up with Microsoft and have people ditch the need for their software? Of course... Like I posted above, they can leverage the WER API via firmware and receive reports via Microsoft... So this shows a strong likelihood that Corsair could also use WER for a wider scope on what's on a person's computer, since WER is Microsoft, that's built into Windows or it shows Corsair if they do join up with Microsoft in regard to the 'Dynamic Lighting' program, that don't go thinking Corsair's data mining is gone...

To add to my above post, I didn't make it clear how the above partners could leverage the WER API if seemingly their software wasn't much there... it would be via firmware.:

Quote

Device manufacturers can use standardized firmware for the first time, enabling new native experiences across the Windows OS and apps without the high costs of proprietary firmware and software development....

Firmware developers can leverage the following samples to learn how to build devices that use LampArray:

Arduino

Macropad

- Dynamic lighting devices | Microsoft Learn

 

To avoid the PR pain of telemetry awareness that we see today, this is their new hope, let Microsoft do it on their behalf, and Microsoft will let them leverage their data mining API.

So tin foil hat in the way of Corsair using WER... sure, if you want to use those nasty words to replace 'a very reasonable possibility based on very related facts' . But as to their privacy policy lacking an opt-out option be a total end to all data-mining... no tin foil hat there...

The WER API could be leveraged by Corsair too... And that is very much worth putting on the table... and It's also worth informing people of that and also if Corsair do partner with Microsoft on this centralised RGB feature, well, as for data mining, going by the documentation listed above, that will continue via Microsoft. 

I know myself Razer is rampant on the PC. A joke in fact for what it essentially is, set your lights and hotkeys and be done... hmm... that big stack of processes and RAM use for such a basic thing... and the lack of $0.30 onboard memory chips on some of their devices...so their stuff must always be running! Right... Anyway... So why would these companies just potentially ditch all this brazen effort to milk customer's data? Again, going by this WER documentation, they haven't, they've avoided the dubious nature of their software on your machine and PR pain by having Microsoft do it on their behalf.

It's worth pointing out these things, so people are aware with what they are dealing with. It's damn clear, the intent to obscure is greater than the intent to make clear. That's why a lot of us get the 'spyware' vibe and rightly so. They clearly desperately want to spy on our PC usage. Spyware. The intent is clear.

The background nature of Corsair software concerns Corsair software consumers. I am going by the words Corsair use in their privacy policy. I admit I don't know if Corsair has bought into getting reports from Microsoft regarding WER, but the WER infrastructure has a story around it that's worthy for Corsair consumers to know about, as it may concern Corsair software now, or in the future.

 

Edited March 22 by Youknowit

[Youknowit]

I have actually helped the OP and people with his same popular questions.

On 2/20/2022 at 11:31 PM, Godlydevils said:

Hi,

 

There are two processes named:

Corsair.Module.CpuIdDevice

Corsair.Module.DisplayAdapter

 

that comes with icue software, they are making my games lag, and when idle, makes my fan run at full speed, they consume CPU and RAM.

 

What are they?!

Why are they?!

Why isn't there any way to disable them?!

When I just need 4 buttons of my mouse to work, why do I have to download a 1gb of tool? runs 10 services and processes! and they put a lot of time in adding spywares in their tool, but cannot innovate good hardware?

Via the privacy policy on their software we can see how much data they harvest in the background. That's not covering the specifics either... To help explain his lag.

And I will back him up on his use of the word 'spyware'. Indeed the intent to obscure is greater than the intent to make clear. The fact there is no ability to end all data gathering/reporting, shows exactly the intent is to spy.

So no, not a waste of electricity at all. I've tried to help someone and people like him with their same concerns on these subjects. 

Let's have a look at this odd... needless shock and awe nastiness:

On 2/21/2022 at 2:48 AM, DevBiker said:

First - do you really need to do the "spyware" title? C'mon, Chicken Little ... the sky isn't falling and they aren't 'spyware'.

Both of those provide lower level access for specific functionality. One is for the CPU monitoring. The second is for the display sync (IIRC).

And, again, it's not spyware. So please, can we dispense with the drama/fearmongering/FUD/Fake News/BS?

Let's have a look at your waste of electricity shall we. This disgusting attack on someone's character. The total shock and awe to misguide him from his concerns on games lagging. Well I've given insight on that concern.

DevBiker, why are you so nasty? It seems so extreme, as if you are conjoined with Corsair, and any revealing information that goes against Corsair's intent hurts you also... 

On 2/21/2022 at 2:14 PM, Godlydevils said:

Quit being a dumb fanboy except if you are corsair employee, then I understand

Even Godlydevils can't help but think you're an employee for them. Though your words: 

 

3 hours ago, DevBiker said:

And no, I'm not a Corsair employee.

Well, it's that silly game of word technicalities again isn't it. You might be working for a PR firm that works for Corsair...

Edited March 22 by Youknowit

[BlaiseP]

@Youknowit - give it a break mate! Do you need to keep repeating the same points and throwing aspersions at community members?  At this point you're just yelling at clouds; the OP hasn't logged back in since the day he posted this topic over two years ago. Do you use Corsair products or have ever installed ICUE on any of your devices? Rest easy soldier, you have done your "duty" and informed the ignorant masses to reprehensible practices of THE BIG BAD CORPORATION. 

 

1 hour ago, Youknowit said:

I have actually helped the OP and people with his same popular questions.

If this question is so popular, why exhume such a long-buried thread instead of one more recent and therefore more relevant? 

Helped the OP... really? That's a bit presumptuous of you. You read the magic word - "spyware" and sprang into action with the EULA/telemetry/spyware rhetoric? Seeing as the OP hasn't logged in for over two years sadly, there's a greater chance he may never see your voluminous "words of wisdom" (including the all-seeing, all-powerful big brother WER API) anyway.

Many of the users of this forum only come here when they have an issue; that's just human nature. However, in your case it appears you came here simply to preach and argue.

 

[Youknowit]

They were not aspersions... They were observations of his aspersions… and only questioning his intent without negative words... 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Law is long & dull by design, so yes, the posts will be kind of long. But much better than people discerning it from scratch. I'm helping those concerned of data mining and its impact on performance.

The OP was puzzled by the number of services/processes and as such has a valid concern of lag by ICUE (as do many people with such similar software out there, like Razer), I'm here to show him (he may come back) and others with the same concern, whilst this is still largely a relevant topic... what these processes are up to... I share the same concern on these processes unrelated to RGB and possibly impacting on optimal gameplay performance and people should know... so they don't go out wasting money on hardware or pulling their hair out. It's only right.

For any concerned of the scale of data mining on your computer and a sense of how this may hurt gaming performance with processes unrelated to RGB... nice bit of bloatware processes for our gaming computer, due to "Corsair Gaming, Inc." software... I will list Corsair's general areas for the data mining's tentacles, but to properly acknowledge that information you need to see how ICUE fits in the privacy policy, by knowing what "Service" means... (bold, enlarged & underlined key bits):

Quote

- CORSAIR PRIVACY POLICY

This Privacy Policy applies to Personal Data processed in connection with our “Service” which includes the following (without limitation):

1. Our “Sites” (including any mobile versions and subdomains):
   • Corsair.com
   • Elgato.com
   • SCUFGaming.com
   • OriginPC.com
   • Other domain names we may operate from time to time
2. Our mobile applications (“Apps”), internet-connected hardware (“Hardware”), or internet-enabled software (collectively, “Software”), including (without limitation):
   • Epocam
   • iCUE
   • WaveLink
   • Elgato Control Center
   • Elgato Screen Link
   • Elgato Streamdeck
   • Elgato Streamdeck Mobile
   • Elgato Game Capture
   • Elgato Camera Hub
3. Our “Platforms,” including:
   • Elgato Marketplace
4. Our products/services or advertisements provided on or through third party sites/services (e.g. advertisements delivered by third parties and data we collect through promotions on third party sites), or via social media (e.g. when we correspond with you via social media, when we access information provided by social media platforms in relation to our pages on those platforms, and when you reference or interact with our posts on social media).
5. Our offline services, for example, when we interact with customers at a conference, trade show, event, or over the phone, and our support services (e.g. when you contact us through online form or chat).

 

And so you can now... realise... that the list below is the data mining GENERAL areas these tentacles glean from your computer (when they say "use of our service", this may very well mean also that the service i.e. ICUE is running in the background, the program (service) has been executed and is running, and one of the operations of this service "ICUE" includes sitting in your system tray...):

 

Quote

PERSONAL DATA CORSAIR COLLECTS

The Personal Data Corsair collects depends on how you interact with Corsair and Corsair’s Affiliates. When you use our Service, we collect the following categories of Personal Data:

• Identity Data.  Your name, Corsair account ID and related account details, including email address, devices and services registrations, account status, age, and geographic location.
• Device/Network Data.  Data from which your device could be identified, such as device serial number or unique ID, or information about your device, such as software version. We may also collect information about how your device has interacted with our Service, including the pages accessed and links clicked, IP address, as well as data from cookies or pixel tags that may be used to identify your device or behavior. This information may also include hardware IDs or information about our Products.
• Contact Data.  Data such as email address, physical address, phone number, or other contact information.
• Payment Data.  Data about your billing address and method of payment, such as credit, debit, or other payment card information. We keep your payment information until the warranty period on your purchased product expires.
• Transaction Data.  Data about your billing address and method of payment, such as credit, debit, or other payment card information. We keep your payment information until the warranty period on your purchased product expires.
• Audio/Visual Data.  Recordings and images collected through our Service, such as audio files, video recordings, and the like.
• Usage Data.  Data about your activity on and use of our Hardware and Service, such as site and app performance data, browsing metadata; device and software interactions; user navigation flows; clickstream data; Software and device crash data, performance and other diagnostic data; and other device connectivity data.
• Inference Data  – We may make inferences from Personal Data to create a profile, e.g. individual predispositions, behavior, and attitudes.
• Location Data.  Personal Data relating to your geographic location, such as information collected from your device’s GPS, or location information you voluntarily provide to us.
• Government ID Data.  In certain jurisdictions, we may ask for a government-issued ID in limited circumstances for the purpose of extending credit, verifying your identity, tax/income reporting, or complying with law.
• User Content.  Information such as unstructured/free-form data that may include any category of Personal Data, e.g. data that you give us in free text fields such as comment boxes, Personal Data you provide when you complete forms on our Service, or answers you provide when you participate in sweepstakes, contests, and surveys.

As we can see... lots of tentacles at the ready via the "Service" "ICUE". Now as we could imagine, all this background hunger for data (clearly, look at the list) can potentially hurt gaming optimal performance... 

 

More interesting bits, possibly related to WER (Microsoft's Windows Error Reporting system that runs on Windows, I explain its use well here https://forum.corsair.com/forums/topic/176371-what-is-corsair-service-doing-in-background/?do=findComment&comment=1065528😞

 

Quote

PERSONAL DATA CORSAIR COLLECTS

The Personal Data Corsair collects depends on how you interact with Corsair and Corsair’s Affiliates. When you use our Service, we collect the following categories of Personal Data:

• Identity Data.  Your name, Corsair account ID and related account details, including email address, devices and services registrations, account status, age, and geographic location.
• Device/Network Data.  Data from which your device could be identified, such as device serial number or unique ID, or information about your device, such as software version. We may also collect information about how your device has interacted with our Service, including the pages accessed and links clicked, IP address, as well as data from cookies or pixel tags that may be used to identify your device or behavior. This information may also include hardware IDs or information about our Products.
• Contact Data.  Data such as email address, physical address, phone number, or other contact information.
• Payment Data.  Data about your billing address and method of payment, such as credit, debit, or other payment card information. We keep your payment information until the warranty period on your purchased product expires.
• Transaction Data.  Data about your billing address and method of payment, such as credit, debit, or other payment card information. We keep your payment information until the warranty period on your purchased product expires.
• Audio/Visual Data.  Recordings and images collected through our Service, such as audio files, video recordings, and the like.
• Usage Data.  Data about your activity on and use of our Hardware and Service, such as site and app performance data, browsing metadata; device and software interactions; user navigation flows; clickstream data; Software and device crash data, performance and other diagnostic data; and other device connectivity data.
• Inference Data  – We may make inferences from Personal Data to create a profile, e.g. individual predispositions, behavior, and attitudes.
• Location Data.  Personal Data relating to your geographic location, such as information collected from your device’s GPS, or location information you voluntarily provide to us.
• Government ID Data.  In certain jurisdictions, we may ask for a government-issued ID in limited circumstances for the purpose of extending credit, verifying your identity, tax/income reporting, or complying with law.
• User Content.  Information such as unstructured/free-form data that may include any category of Personal Data, e.g. data that you give us in free text fields such as comment boxes, Personal Data you provide when you complete forms on our Service, or answers you provide when you participate in sweepstakes, contests, and surveys.

 

Augment means, to make larger. So we see here, I see no list of what these third parties are... but it could be referring to Microsoft and their WER reports. I.e. the WER reports, diagnostics and information of all sorts gleaned by Microsoft related to Corsair's services, in this case ICUE.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

2 hours ago, BlaiseP said:

If this question is so popular, why exhume such a long-buried thread instead of one more recent and therefore more relevant? 

I doubt much has changed.

 

2 hours ago, BlaiseP said:

Many of the users of this forum only come here when they have an issue; that's just human nature. However, in your case it appears you came here simply to preach and argue.

I'm here because search engines exist and this is how I found this thread, so others may find it in the same way also... and this bumps the thread as well... OP's title and concerns fit well with my material, my same concerns and is still useful for new readers with the same concerns, like I said, I doubt much has changed since the OP made the thread... which others may agree.  This thread has also helped me lay the groundwork for future discussions like this and I'm refining the relevant information on this topic, for myself, others and possibly OP.

2 hours ago, BlaiseP said:

and throwing aspersions at community members? 

Don't put that on me... The only person doing aspersions in this thread is him...:

8 hours ago, DevBiker said:

You really need to get a hobby other than making tin foil hats.

 

On 2/21/2022 at 3:48 PM, DevBiker said:

you are just spewing BS

 

On 2/21/2022 at 2:48 AM, DevBiker said:

C'mon, Chicken Little ... the sky isn't falling and they aren't 'spyware'.

 

On 2/21/2022 at 2:48 AM, DevBiker said:

can we dispense with the drama/fearmongering/FUD/Fake News/BS?

 

Is DevBiker the shock & awe character? Or just rude... Or both?

The emotions I'm witnessing from posters here seem totally out of place, when I'm educating other customers to relevant and possibly relevant texts...

Any more posters who are somehow directly harmed by my posts on Corsair privacy policy, data mining and relevant texts... lol?

 

Edited March 22 by Youknowit

[LeDoyen]

Just concerned about how some people love to lose their time arguing in great length about things nobody cares about? i hope you understand we are a very thin minority who looks at data harvesting and care to stop it at a very local level ? Most people share their entire life on social media and only care about having nice shiny lights in their PC. And what makes iCUE thrash is not the telemetry part. That has virtually no impact on performance. The core of the software has, to varying degrees, plus the instability and crashes that come back every few updates. 

So yea, not offended, just wondering why coming to white knight on a users forum where Corsair reps and employees rarely intervene anyway.

[Youknowit]

I did a wrong quote in my last post.

I'll put the relevant text and proper quote here again:

"More interesting bits, possibly related to WER (Microsoft's Windows Error Reporting system that runs on Windows, I explain its use well here https://forum.corsair.com/forums/topic/176371-what-is-corsair-service-doing-in-background/?do=findComment&comment=1065528 ) :

 

Quote

We may also augment consumer profiles with Personal Data that we create (such as Inference Data) or that we receive from our Affiliates or third parties, which may include Personal Data such as information about which portions of our Service you have used previously, information about products you have purchased, devices and hardware that you use, and demographic data or other Inference Data.

CORSAIR PRIVACY POLICY

 

Augment means, to make larger. So we see here, I see no list of what these third parties are... but it could be referring to Microsoft and their WER reports. I.e. the WER reports, diagnostics and information of all sorts gleaned by Microsoft related to Corsair's services, in this case ICUE. "

--------------------------------------

Quote

• Service Providers. Corsair may engage third parties to act as our service providers and perform certain tasks on our behalf, such as processing or storing data, delivering products to customers. Corsair’s service providers are obligated to handle Personal Data consistent with this Privacy Policy and according to our instructions.
• Partners. At times, Corsair may partner with third parties to provide services or other offerings. For example, Corsair offers financing in cooperation with partners who manage the extension of credit and financing offers. We may share Personal Data with these partners, and they may process Personal Data for their own purposes as a separate controller, or share certain Personal Data with Corsair, each as set forth in the applicable privacy policy.

CORSAIR PRIVACY POLICY

That last bit of text, I'll highlight it:

Quote

and they may process Personal Data for their own purposes as a separate controller, or share certain Personal Data with Corsair, each as set forth in the applicable privacy policy.

Process personal data as a separate controller, or share certain personal data with Corsair. This sounds like it could be a possible detailing for Microsoft WER being a separate controller and offering to share that personal data with Corsair.

As a good reminder for the above context, how this seems to relate to WER, I'll re-quote this from a former post in this thread https://forum.corsair.com/forums/topic/176371-what-is-corsair-service-doing-in-background/?do=findComment&comment=1065528" :

On 3/21/2024 at 5:07 PM, Youknowit said:

"the WER protocol has become a catch-all for any sort of telemetry data to be sent to
Microsoft....  WER is the default crash handler for Windows, so most applications, such as Internet Explorer, Adobe
Reader, Skype, and anything else that hasn’t taken special care to avoid it, will have their crash reports sent to Microsoft. Microsoft does provide access (for a price) to vendors that wish to see the crash reports for their applications."

http://0xdabbad00.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/notes_on_wer.pdf

 

-----------------------------------

LeDoyen, I'm informing people on matters they may be interested in. Data-mining by platforms like Steam, Origin, Razer, Armory crate etc. is in the minds of many in different forums and on reddit. www.reddit.com/r/privacy/ has 1.4 million members. Telemetry by Windows 10/11 is heavily talked about also on many forums and reddit. You have no evidence that telemetry has virtually no impact on performance. Any possible poor implementation of their data mining and how it may negatively interact with the rest of the computer, can not be put to bed by you... Unless, you're a dev who knows all the workings of ICUE and the workings of the entire computer, or you're in contact with a dev who knows all the workings of ICUE and a computer. Let's put it this way, I doubt you are, or are in contact with such a person. Simply, if we can cut down on tasks unrelated to gaming, the better, less chance for odd quirks on the game's operative performance to happen.

Let's not also ignore the fact that selling our data and spying on how we use our computer for their own separate ends un-related to RGB affairs is freaky and cheeky. The opportunity to make money from us, for years, even if we forgot about their software... and no longer use it and its profiles... yes, they're aware this may be the case for some out there... and yes, there's bound to be people who are in this scenario. 

And if ICUE does leverage the WER API, well, that would be more background processing being elicited by ICUE, potentially on top of ICUE's own data mining technology.

 

 

Edited March 23 by Youknowit

[LeDoyen]

Are you an iCUE dev yourself? do you have any insights on the inner workings of iCUE to argue that telemetry has performance impacts?

All you've said so far is a big pile of "if" and "maybes", with no experience or evidence. Just personal interpretations of their privacy policy with no knowledge of its real implementation in software.

Of course the privacy reddit has lots of users, but that's people interested in the matter that joins it. Corsair community forum is not a privacy centric platform. It's just people talking about how to set their system, and troubleshooting it.

Having a lighter version of iCUE without all the unnecessary services (only device drivers and RGB settings) has been asked for donkeys years but Corsair is clearly not interested.

So, you know basically nothing about iCUE at this stage, at least not more than the people you think are argueing with you, which makes every singe of your interventions basically.. useless?

It's not about telemetry or whatever iCUE does, it's about why are you bothering to lose hours of your time to post walls of text that help nobody since up to now it's only a big opinion piece with no evidence of what iCUE ACTUALLY does ? Corsair can very well provision in their privacy policy for stuff they may need to do in the future, or did in the past software versions but don't do anymore.

If i had time to lose i would install iCUE (and have to buy a bunch of devices to make it work) and start packet sniffing to see what goes in and out instead of rambling about a webpage that tells things one has no idea how and if they are implemented in any shape or form.