Microsoft Updates Windows Without User Permission, Apologizes

Microsoft has been quietly updating Windows even when users have turned off automatic updates and without notifying users, according to reports and posts on Microsoft discussion boards.
Even though the updates ended up being benign and vital to the function of Windows Updates, such a breach of trust could end up harming Microsoft's reputation.

Over the last few weeks, without user approval, Windows Update has updated nine small executable files in both Windows XP and Windows Vista. "I did not download this and my Windows Update is still not set to automatic," a poster named Engle wrote on a Microsoft discussion board. "This has got me really puzzled." Both eWeek Labs and Windows Secrets report that they have confirmed cases of Windows Update downloading and installing an update without permission.

The updates in question actually updated Windows Update's own software. If Windows Update doesn't update itself, it stops functioning properly and is not able to recognize when new updates are available, according to Microsoft.