PSA: macOS updates often modify your System Preferences to violate your Privacy

I went to change a Firewall setting for an app and discovered to my shock all the listed apps in it had been set to "Allow incoming connections" (which I had never done) and the options

- "Automatically allow built-in softwares to receive incoming connections" and

- "Automatically allow downloaded signed software to receive incoming connections"

had been enabled, even though I had disabled them. In the Privacy > Advertising section. Limit Ad Tracking had been disabled even though I had enabled it. (And if it needs to be said for some - no, I don't have any malware on my computer).

Edit: I am pissed because all I had installed were security updates.