FTDI "shenanigans" and Techstream / MVCI users

So I have a Windows 10 laptop set to stall updates. Today, I noticed there was a new update for FTDI drivers waiting to be allowed.

I recently purchased/installed the Techstream stuff from Amazon (Fotga?), and installed it on an old 32 bit netbook running 7 Starter. It seems to hookup and work fine, but I haven't tried doing anything with it as yet, as I have no reason to.

Knowing these MVCI units use FTDI chips (usb/serial converter), and it is likely that the FTDI chips in these units are counterfeit, it got me curious.

In case you didn't know, in order to counteract all the counterfeiting, in late 2014 FTDI pumped out an driver update through Windows update that didn't just not work with counterfeit chips, but actually BRICKED the chip rendering the unit useless - no driver roll back or such worked. The update would force the chip's PID to 0 so Windows could no longer recognize the device.

It created a furor because many felt there is no way for most end users to even realize something they used had a counterfeit chip - even reputable manufacturers were blindsided when their products contained badly sourced chips (especially where many company source circuits from China)

Controversy aside, Microsoft themselves pulled the "update" after learning of the problems, and FTDI also acquiesced.

Looking up this "new" FTDI update trying to come through as an update, it appears it's another attempt to create problems with anything with a counterfeit chip. This time, however, instead of completely breaking the unit, the driver injects some kind of text into the serial stream saying, in effect, that a counterfeit device was detected.

Such an injection may or may not affect the operation of the software, depending on how the data stream is used.

Luckily, the netbook I am using for the cable/software is ONLY being used for that purpose and is blocked from network access anyway.

Long story/question, short, has anyone running Techstream/MVCI on Windows 10 have problems recently because of the "new" FTDI update?

 

Yeah - the virus/Trojan thing is precisely why I keep it off the network - that plus I really have no use for the netbook otherwise anyway. Some have claimed that it's a false positive because of how the driver/software work, but why take a chance - especially since it's all hacked software from unknown sources in the end (ie. the guy you bought the cable/software from is likely NOT the guy who hacked the software).

I'm just curious, with users who use it on Windows 10, if this "update" squeaking through caused any failure of the Techstream software because of the injected text in the data stream. Especially because by default Windows 10 does not allow blocking of updates.

Although it doesn't brick the counterfeit chips as in the past 'update' from 2014, from what I have seen, if you are running Windows 10, you will have to constantly roll the driver back every time 10 pushes the update (unless you control updates or use Window's show/hide update program) to block the updates - but many people will not realize how to fix the problem.

I am wondering if MS will wise up to it and pull it from auto updates like they did the last time. Many times even reputable manufacturers will poorly source chips in error, and this could potentially cause massive problems - maybe even injury/death - because these simple chips are ubiquitous throughout all sorts of industries, including industrial machines and even some medical equipment (even though FTDI specs that it shouldn't be used for those purposes).