Disable outdated Chrome Software Reporter Tool

Overview

About this script

This script improves your privacy on Windows.

These changes use Windows system commands to update your settings.

This script blocks the execution of the Chrome Software Reporter Tool, enhancing your privacy by preventing unnecessary data transmissions to Google, and boosting system performance through reduced resource consumption.

This tool is also known as the Software Reporter Tool 1 2 3, Software Reporter Tool for Chrome Cleanup 4, Chrome Cleanup Tool 2 3 and Software Removal Tool 2. It exists in Google Chrome 1 versions prior to v111 3. Newer versions of Google Chrome do not include this tool 3.

This tool scans for harmful software that may disrupt Chrome's operations 1 3 5 6. It automatically removes software that degrades your browsing experience 1 3 5 6. It can connect to the Internet, monitor applications, record keyboard and mouse inputs, and manipulate other programs 2. It reports findings to Google 1 3 4, which raises privacy concerns due to potential data collection and online reporting.

The Software Reporter Tool may also significantly consume CPU and memory resources 1 3 4 5, potentially leading to performance issues. By disabling it, you reduce CPU and memory usage, potentially speeding up your computer.

It is located in the %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\SwReporter directory 1 2 3 5. Its executable name is software_reporter_tool.exe 1 2 3 4 5 6. This file reappears with each update of Chrome 3. Instead of deleting or moving the file, the script blocks its execution to ensure it remains disabled after Chrome updates.

Disabling this feature reduces potential privacy risks by preventing data sharing. This may also improve system performance by reducing processing workload.

Disabling this tool protects your privacy by:

• Preventing sending scan results to Google 1 3 4.
• Some malware disguise themselves as software_reporter_tool.exe 2 so running this script will also protect you against these.
• This outdated component 3 may contain known vulnerabilities; disabling it helps mitigate these security risks by reducing your attack surface.

Caution

Disabling this component may limit Chrome's ability to automatically detect and remove problematic software.

This script uses Batch (batchfile) scripting language.

Safe for General Use

This script is recommended for all users. It helps to improve privacy without affecting stability.

Implementation Details

• Language: batch

• Required Privileges: Administrator rights

• Compatibility: Windows only

• Reversibility: Can be undone using provided revert script

Explore Categories

Configure Chrome

This action belongs to Configure Chrome category. This category contains scripts that adjust Google Chrome settings to enhance privacy, security, and potentially improve system performance Google Chrome collects a variety of data: Browsing Data: URLs, cached content, and IP addresses from visited pages. • **Personal Information and... Read more on category page ▶

Configure browsers

This action belongs to Configure browsers category. This category includes scripts that enhance privacy by adjusting browsers to prevent tracking, minimize data leaks, and restrict personalized ads. These changes help protect user privacy across different web browsers and optimize system performance by reducing privacy-invasive processing. Read more on category page ▶

Configure programs

This action belongs to Configure programs category. This category configures Windows using 111 scripts. These scripts are organized in 22 categories. The category includes 5 subscripts and 9 subcategories that include more scripts and categories. Read more on category page ▶

Apply now

Choose one of three ways to apply:

1. Automatically via privacy.sexy: The easiest and safest option.
2. Manually by downloading: Requires downloading a file.
3. Manually by copying: Advanced flexibility.

Alternative 1. Apply with Privacy.sexy

privacy.sexy is free and open-source application that lets securely apply this action easily.

Open privacy.sexy

You can fully restore this action (revert back to the original behavior) using the application.

privacy.sexy instructions

1. Open or download the desktop application
2. Search for the script name: Disable outdated Chrome Software Reporter Tool.
3. Check the script by clicking on the checkbox.
4. Click on Run button at the bottom of the page.

Alternative 2. Download

Irreversible Changes

This script is irreversible, meaning there is no straightforward method to restore changes once applied. Exercise caution before running, restoring it may not be possible.

1. Download the script file by clicking on the button below:

   Download script

2. Run the script file by clicking on it.

Download revert script

This file restores your system to its original state, before this script is applied.

Download restore script

Alternative 3. Copy

This is for advanced users. Consider automatically applying or downloading the script for simpler way.

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator.

HELP: Step-by-step guide

1. Click on Start menu

   Windows 11

   

   Windows 10

   

2. Type cmd

   Windows 11

   

   Windows 10

   

3. Right click on Command Prompt select Run as administrator

   Windows 11

   

   Windows 10

   

4. Click on Yes to run Command Prompt

   Windows 11

   

   Windows 10

   

---

Windows 11

Windows 10

2. Copy the following code:

Code to apply changes

:: Check and terminate the running process "software_reporter_tool.exe"
tasklist /fi "ImageName eq software_reporter_tool.exe" /fo csv 2>NUL | find /i "software_reporter_tool.exe">NUL && (
    echo software_reporter_tool.exe is running and will be killed.
    taskkill /f /im software_reporter_tool.exe
) || (
    echo Skipping, software_reporter_tool.exe is not running.
)
:: Configure termination of "software_reporter_tool.exe" immediately upon its startup
:: Set the registry value: "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\software_reporter_tool.exe!Debugger"
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$registryPath = 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\software_reporter_tool.exe'; $data = '%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\taskkill.exe'; reg add 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\software_reporter_tool.exe' /v 'Debugger' /t 'REG_SZ' /d "^""$data"^"" /f"
:: Add a rule to prevent the executable "software_reporter_tool.exe" from running via File Explorer
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$executableFilename='software_reporter_tool.exe'; try { $registryPathForDisallowRun='HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun'; $existingBlockEntries = Get-ItemProperty -Path "^""$registryPathForDisallowRun"^"" -ErrorAction Ignore; $nextFreeRuleIndex = 1; if ($existingBlockEntries) { $existingBlockingRuleForExecutable = $existingBlockEntries.PSObject.Properties | Where-Object { $_.Value -eq $executableFilename }; if ($existingBlockingRuleForExecutable) { $existingBlockingRuleIndexForExecutable = $existingBlockingRuleForExecutable.Name; Write-Output "^""Skipping, no action needed: '$executableFilename' is already blocked under rule index `"^""$existingBlockingRuleIndexForExecutable`"^""."^""; exit 0; }; $occupiedRuleIndexes = $existingBlockEntries.PSObject.Properties | Where-Object { $_.Name -Match '^\d+$' } | Select -ExpandProperty Name; if ($occupiedRuleIndexes) { while ($occupiedRuleIndexes -Contains $nextFreeRuleIndex) { $nextFreeRuleIndex += 1; }; }; }; Write-Output "^""Adding block rule for `"^""$executableFilename`"^"" under rule index `"^""$nextFreeRuleIndex`"^""."^""; if (!(Test-Path $registryPathForDisallowRun)) { New-Item -Path "^""$registryPathForDisallowRun"^"" -Force -ErrorAction Stop | Out-Null; }; New-ItemProperty -Path "^""$registryPathForDisallowRun"^"" -Name "^""$nextFreeRuleIndex"^"" -PropertyType String -Value "^""$executableFilename"^"" ` -ErrorAction Stop | Out-Null; Write-Output "^""Successfully blocked `"^""$executableFilename`"^"" with rule index `"^""$nextFreeRuleIndex`"^""."^""; } catch { Write-Error "^""Failed to block `"^""$executableFilename`"^"": $_"^""; Exit 1; }"
:: Activate the DisallowRun policy to block specified programs from running via File Explorer
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "try { $fileExplorerDisallowRunRegistryPath = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer'; $currentDisallowRunPolicyValue = Get-ItemProperty -Path "^""$fileExplorerDisallowRunRegistryPath"^"" -Name 'DisallowRun' -ErrorAction Ignore | Select -ExpandProperty DisallowRun; if ([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($currentDisallowRunPolicyValue)) { Write-Output "^""Creating DisallowRun policy at `"^""$fileExplorerDisallowRunRegistryPath`"^""."^""; if (!(Test-Path $fileExplorerDisallowRunRegistryPath)) { New-Item -Path "^""$fileExplorerDisallowRunRegistryPath"^"" -Force -ErrorAction Stop | Out-Null; }; New-ItemProperty -Path "^""$fileExplorerDisallowRunRegistryPath"^"" -Name 'DisallowRun' -Value 1 -PropertyType DWORD -Force -ErrorAction Stop | Out-Null; Write-Output 'Successfully activated DisallowRun policy.'; Exit 0; }; if ($currentDisallowRunPolicyValue -eq 1) { Write-Output 'Skipping, no action needed: DisallowRun policy is already in place.'; Exit 0; }; Write-Output 'Updating DisallowRun policy from unexpected value `"^""$currentDisallowRunPolicyValue`"^"" to `"^""1`"^"".'; Set-ItemProperty -Path "^""$fileExplorerDisallowRunRegistryPath"^"" -Name 'DisallowRun' -Value 1 -Type DWORD -Force -ErrorAction Stop | Out-Null; Write-Output 'Successfully activated DisallowRun policy.'; } catch { Write-Error "^""Failed to activate DisallowRun policy: $_"^""; Exit 1; }"

3. Right click on command prompt to paste it.
4. Press Enter to apply remaining code.

Copy restore code

Copy and run the following code to restore changes:

Revert code

:: Remove configuration preventing "software_reporter_tool.exe" from starting
:: Delete the registry value "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\software_reporter_tool.exe!Debugger"
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "reg delete 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\software_reporter_tool.exe' /v 'Debugger' /f 2>$null"
:: Remove the rule that prevents the executable "software_reporter_tool.exe" from running via File Explorer
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$executableFilename='software_reporter_tool.exe'; try { $blockEntries = Get-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun' -ErrorAction Ignore; if (-Not $blockEntries) { Write-Output "^""Skipping, no action needed: No block rules exist, `"^""$executableFilename`"^"" is not blocked."^""; exit 0; }; $blockingRulesForExecutable = @(; $blockEntries.PSObject.Properties | Where-Object { $_.Value -eq $executableFilename }; ); if (-Not $blockingRulesForExecutable) { Write-Output "^""Skipping, no action needed: `"^""$executableFilename`"^"" is not currently blocked."^""; exit 0; }; foreach ($blockingRuleForExecutable in $blockingRulesForExecutable) { $blockingRuleIndexForExecutable = $blockingRuleForExecutable.Name; Write-Output "^""Removing rule `"^""$blockingRuleIndexForExecutable`"^"" that blocks `"^""$executableFilename`"^""."^""; Remove-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun' -Name "^""$blockingRuleIndexForExecutable"^"" -Force -ErrorAction Stop; Write-Output "^""Successfully revoked blocking of `$executableFilename` under rule `"^""$blockingRuleIndexForExecutable`"^""."^""; }; } catch { Write-Error "^""Failed to revoke blocking of `"^""$executableFilename`"^"": $_"^""; Exit 1; }"
:: Restore the File Explorer DisallowRun policy if no other blocks are active
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "try { $currentDisallowRunPolicyValue = Get-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer' -Name 'DisallowRun' -ErrorAction Ignore | Select-Object -ExpandProperty 'DisallowRun'; if ([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($currentDisallowRunPolicyValue)) { Write-Output 'Skipping, no action needed: DisallowRun policy is not active.'; Exit 0; }; if ($currentDisallowRunPolicyValue -ne 1) { Write-Output "^""Skipping, DisallowRun policy is not configured by privacy.sexy, unexpected value: `"^""$currentDisallowRunPolicyValue`"^""."^""; Exit 0; }; $remainingBlockingRules = Get-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun' -ErrorAction Ignore; if ($remainingBlockingRules) { Write-Output 'Skipping deactivating DisallowRun policy, there are still active rules.'; Exit 0; }; Write-Output 'No remaining rules, deleting DisallowRun policy.'; Remove-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer' -Name 'DisallowRun' -Force -ErrorAction Stop; Write-Output 'Successfully restored DisallowRun policy.'; } catch { Write-Error "^""Failed to restore DisallowRun policy: $_"^""; Exit 1; }"

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