Why Are V2 Apps Constantly Connecting to the Internet?

[ChopperNova]

Why are the V2 apps constantly connecting to the internet?

This is not local network, but to an Amazon Web Services server.

And I do mean constant. Every time you load a file, or even go between RAW<-->Develop, it's connects.

I'd REALLY like an OFFICIAL answer on this: EXPLICITLY what's being sent, why, where is it disclosed, and how do we opt out?

[loukash]

10 hours ago, ChopperNova said:

how do we opt out?

On Mac:

1. get Little Snitch
2. block all traffic to amazonaws.com for all Affinity apps

Don't ask me what the consequences will be, I haven't blocked this particular server.

[ATP]

This might be a coincidence but I noticed Photo 2 was slower at starting when my internet was down.

Telemetry should always be possible to completely disable if the new apps have it.

[thomaso]

12 hours ago, ChopperNova said:

Why are the V2 apps constantly connecting to the internet?

Are you connected via "My Account" (Toolbar)?
If yes, does it make a difference to logout there?

Also, do you have set Affinity to show the "Welcome…" window on app launch which offers links to Serif website(s)?

[rvst]

14 hours ago, ChopperNova said:

Why are the V2 apps constantly connecting to the internet?

This is not local network, but to an Amazon Web Services server.

And I do mean constant. Every time you load a file, or even go between RAW<-->Develop, it's connects.

I'd REALLY like an OFFICIAL answer on this: EXPLICITLY what's being sent, why, where is it disclosed, and how do we opt out?

I just checked this and my Affinity Photo V2 only connects at startup, not when opening a file or changing persona. My account is logged in. 

[myclay]

For the internet connection stuff:
Within the Preferences> Miscellaneous is an option to untick automatic uploading of crash reports.


Edit; the Affinity Suite is checking once per Startup (or day?) if a new update is available that too could mean that low traffic is happening.

Edited November 22, 2022 by myclay
added info about checkup for new updates

[ChopperNova]

Thanks to everyone who replied. For those unaware, the Amazon server it connects to is, in itself, perfectly innocent. It's not a direct line to the store. The issue is that the user is being surveilled.

1 hour ago, loukash said:

On Mac:

1. get Little Snitch
2. block all traffic to amazonaws.com for all Affinity apps

Don't ask me what the consequences will be, I haven't blocked this particular server.

I always forget Affinity is available for Mac. My bad. I'm using Windows 10.

The program I use is TinyWall, which can block programs/connections the user chooses:

https://tinywall.pados.hu/

Once upon a time, I think I did block that server (in Window's hosts file), and it messed stuff up.

1 hour ago, ATP said:

This might be a coincidence but I noticed Photo 2 was slower at starting when my internet was down.

Telemetry should always be possible to completely disable if the new apps have it.

I haven't noticed, but I might test that.

Absolutely it should be possible to disable. Everything should be fully disclosed: What's collected, what's done with it, how long it's kept, etc.

My policy is to block software from companies that do it secretly and allow it from, well, honest companies.

2 hours ago, thomaso said:

Are you connected via "My Account" (Toolbar)?
If yes, does it make a difference to logout there?

Also, do you have set Affinity to show the "Welcome…" window on app launch which offers links to Serif website(s)?

26 minutes ago, rvst said:

I just checked this and my Affinity Photo V2 only connects at startup, not when opening a file or changing persona. My account is logged in. 

Logging in/out doesn't matter, I haven't downloaded any content, and don't display the Welcome... window.

What are you using to monitor connections?

More info:

• I noticed this because it hits my TinyWall firewall.
• Allowing it through the firewall during startup and then overnight doesn't matter. It starts hitting it all over again.
•  
• I've tested two Windows 10 installs. One is unzipped in, and the other is the installed MSIX in a fresh (although unregistered) Windows 10 VM. They both behave the same.
• This is all three program/apps installed as a set.
• I'm using the Trial Version. I won't purchase it until there's industry standard installers available.
• I was a user of all three V1 programs, hence my real name is displayed in the Help->My Account... page.

3 minutes ago, myclay said:

For the internet connection stuff:
Within the Preferences> Miscellaneous is an option to untick automatic uploading of crash reports.


Edit; the Affinity Suite is checking once per Startup (or day?) if a new update is available that too could mean that low traffic is happening.

The box is unchecked, and it's not just checking daily, but continually, like when I open & close files.

And now when I went back to test, it's not doing it on either installs. Unfortunately, TinyWall only displays the last 5 minutes of blocked apps, so I have no log screenshot. Now I gotta photoshop a fake one, anyone know a stable image editor I could use? *BaZiiiiing!*

Thanks again to all who responded. There was definitely something going on, I'd just like to know what. Even in the literally impossible event that I made an error (which I will ultimately correct in the thread title, if possible).

[walt.farrell]

1 hour ago, rvst said:

just checked this and my Affinity Photo V2 only connects at startup,

On Windows, if downloaded from Serif, I believe it should connect once every 24 hours to check for Updates.

[rvst]

6 minutes ago, ChopperNova said:

What are you using to monitor connections?

I use Comodo firewall in custom ruleset mode. This means that literally every single connection attempt from any software on my system (even the OS itself) pops up an authorize dialog from the firewall unless I authorize the application permanently (obviously, this isn't something most users would do, since a wrong choice could block a system application - I use it precisely because certain apps phone home gratuitously and I tend to block network communication for those apps if I think the vendor is collecting too much telemetry).

So I just turn off that permanent authorization and then every time Affinity attempts to make an outgoing connection, it pops up the authorize dialog box. 

[rvst]

3 hours ago, ATP said:

This might be a coincidence but I noticed Photo 2 was slower at starting when my internet was down.

It will be slower for sure because the dns client will have to wait for a timeout on it's name resolution of the affinity update server's canonical dns name. 

[pixelworker]

I support the request to know what this means. Blocking them is no answer 😉 I use Affinity to avoid cloud. If there is a connection all the time I would like to know too why and what is transfered.

I see no requirement to open connections in the background after activation.

[walt.farrell]

16 minutes ago, pixelworker said:

I see no requirement to open connections in the background after activation.

After activation there should be no need for an external network connection, that I've heard of, except for the once-a-day check to see if there are updates available. And that is probably only for the apps downloaded/installed from Serif, not from Microsoft or Apple.

There will be needs for internal network connection, as the apps use local networking to communicate among themselves, from what I've read.

[ChopperNova]

4 hours ago, rvst said:

I use Comodo firewall in custom ruleset mode. This means that literally every single connection attempt from any software on my system (even the OS itself) pops up an authorize dialog from the firewall unless I authorize the application permanently (obviously, this isn't something most users would do, since a wrong choice could block a system application - I use it precisely because certain apps phone home gratuitously and I tend to block network communication for those apps if I think the vendor is collecting too much telemetry).

So I just turn off that permanent authorization and then every time Affinity attempts to make an outgoing connection, it pops up the authorize dialog box. 

It's horrifying how much stuff connects to the internet, isn't it?  Like, everything all the time.

As for V2, it could be that I've accessed the stock images in V1, and while my Stock Images tab was visible, it wasn't active. I don't think I've used it in V2 at all.

Although I suspect it's something to do with being a trial, it's curious it stopped when this thread became active. There's only two logical conclusions:

1. They quickly shut down the data collection when their conspiracy was uncovered.
2. Elon Musk is a lizard person.

[affinian]

On 11/22/2022 at 4:10 AM, ChopperNova said:

but to an Amazon Web Services server.

AWS is the "cloud "provider where (all) the Affinity Services are run from, I suppose.

(Almost) No company of this size and in such a business would opt for on-premise operations to run this kind of services nowadays.

[Patrick Connor]

On 11/22/2022 at 6:45 PM, ChopperNova said:

I'm using the Trial Version.

I think this may be the "reason" yours is checking much more than any of the forum regulars here. I understand that Affinity V2 software will check to see what the functionality should be and I suspect that it is trying to see if you have registered a universal license (via another application) since the last time it checked (for functions in the menu like "Edit in Photo" or StudioLink.

On 11/22/2022 at 6:45 PM, ChopperNova said:

What's collected, what's done with it, how long it's kept

Our Privacy Policy explains 

Quote

Our applications:

Affinity applications collect some anonymous information, for example usage data, application name and version number, language and OS version but no Personal Data. This is used to ensure correct content is shown in the welcome screen of the applications and to help notify you of product updates. Using the “My Account” feature within the application collects additional personal information to facilitate the functions, including data about your hardware.

We only transmit anonymous data outside of the My Account feature (clearly My Account needs to know who you are). The licensing data is kept to facilitate the software functionality, and communicated anonymously using tokens.

You have to sign it to use the 30 day trial, so if my suspicions are correct, I think we would just have to not keep checking while the application is running (checking repeatedly in case the licensing position has changed during the time you are using the software). Many users have benefitted from the applications checking for the registration of a V2 Universal license in your account in a different application or on another device, and I think it is checked repeatedly/dynamically during software use. However I think this makes the software look like it it checking too often so I will bring this up with the developers in case it can be improved (called less).

 

[Patrick Connor]

Once purchased and registered/licensed. Affinity V2 applications can be used indefinitely offline