Since the days of MS-DOS, OEMs have bundled lots of crap along with their Microsoft OS, and users would always blame Microsoft, not the OEM or IHV or ISV, for the user experience. Since NT was created, there have been tests for OEMs/IHVs, initially to get listed on the Hardware Compatibility List, these days to get certs and more. Now that modern versions of Windows include installer-related binaries in ACPI tables, that can be misused by attackers if OEMs don’t clean up their systems properly (Lenovo, Dell, etc.), Microsoft is increasing their testing of OEM systems bloatware.
https://threatpost.com/microsoft-to-remove-superfish-like-programs-starting-in-march/115730/
https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/mmpc/2015/12/21/keeping-browsing-experience-in-users-hands/
I’ve heard one interesting potential feature of the new Microsoft laptop is that it might be the one Windows box doesn’t have OEM bloatware on it. Granted, it’ll have other Microsoft bloatware on it…
Firmware Security 