Spyware in HP Audio Driver - How do I remove or disable?

[GOLD_MASTER]

@Reality_Cheque .

What hp System Information is HP HotKey Support (HPHKS) software provides support for handling hotkeys (fixed laptop buttons that provide quick access to a particular feature when pressed) for HP business laptops.

Hp Audio Switch works in conjunction with Hp Audio Control designed for BYOB speakers.

[Reality_Cheque]

Hi Promethee,

May I ask how you know that you have no such problems? If it wasn't for the single warning when I right-clicked on the HP Audio Switch icon, I would have no clue that this was going on. I believe you when you say it's not phoning home on your laptop, but I'm curious as to how you confirmed this. 

[Prométhée]

Sorry, I don't understand what you are saying about "not phoning home"

I say I don't have this problem:
"Now, when I clicked the audio driver icon in the system tray for the first time, I had a warning pop up saying that data was being sent to HP"

And you indicate that windows update installed you drivers
It's not often the best thing
in your place, I would delete that, and I will use the ones from the product page

Hp audio switch is not an essential component, you can remove it
There is mention of google analytics, which can also be installed with Chrome

https://www.google.com/search?q=chrome+google+analytics+&hl=fr&ei=fV7AYZLWEIW7lwSO86rYAQ&ved=0ahUKEw...
If you don't want to be spy, don't use google browsers and service, either

[Reality_Cheque]

Hi,

OK, it seems that we have been thinking along the same lines...

I have assumed that the rogue app (i.e. the one sending data to HP, also referred to as "phoning home") is the HP Audio Switch. I've found that this HP Audio Switch isn't one of the audio drivers, but is actually a separate widget/app which is, as you rightly say, unnecessary. I have uninstalled this app and the audio drivers still work fine, both for internal speakers and for headphones when I plug them in. There are no error messages on the desktop.

So... all good PROVIDING that this was actually the app that was reporting back to HP. As I asked before, how do you know that your laptop is not reporting your activity back to HP (or "phoning home" as I put it)? How have you tested or tried to detect this? How can you confirm? I ask this so that i can check that I have definitely got the spyware off my machine. Have you monitored your network traffic, and if so, what should I be looking for?

Just to confirm, this HP Audio Switch install came from HP, not from Windows Update.

Status:
HP Audio Switch removed
I *probably* have stopped the HP privacy breach
No errors so far, and no automated re-installation from HP so far 
Need to confirm that there are no more leaks.

Thanks guys, but I really can't believe that this is actually allowed. After all, we have data protection laws in the UK to stop this nonsense, and if you are asked for permission and say 'NO', as I did during the re-initialisation, that should be the end of the matter. It's a nice laptop though!

[Prométhée]

"Now, when I clicked the audio driver icon in the system tray for the first time, I had a warning pop up saying that data was being sent to HP."

I do not have the same computer as you
but what I'm saying is that I don't have this same problem
No window that opens, if I can disable something I do ...
I turn off practically everything I can
In windows services, I had a program
HP analytics service, disabled for example
but it is difficult to know what is sent to this or that
Search in depth, you will see that microsoft collects some data, we do not know what to disable
With all the possible functions, you send data one way or another.
When you go online, you share data
when you download, buy, register somewhere, you share data
It is very difficult to escape at least one thing
The best solution would be to stop using the internet at all!