Microsoft Scanning your computer for piracy
[news=http://img424.imageshack.us/img424/240/untitled18iv1wo.png]Microsoft today began expanding its anti-piracy program by quietly pushing out a software update that in many cases automatically scans Windows computers and reports on whether they are powered by unlicensed software.
The "new pilot program" is a fairly broad expansion of Microsoft's Windows Genuine Advantage program, under which the anti-piracy check was required only for users who wish to download security updates or other free programs from Microsoft's site. Under WGA, users who chose to receive fixes via Automatic Updates were not prompted to install and run the anti-piracy software.
Starting today, however, Windows XP users in the United States who have set up automatic security updates will receive the anti-piracy tool. After installation and reboot, they may find their computers popping up an alert that reads: "This copy of Windows is not genuine; you may be a victim of software counterfeiting." Microsoft also is pushing the new tool out to auto-update users in Britain, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand.
I hadn't heard about this program until today, when my laptop -- which of course is running a legitimate copy of XP Home Edition -- received this update today and prompted me to restart. When I rebooted the machine and went to "Add Remove/Programs," the hyperlinked Microsoft Knowledge Base article that was supposed to describe more about this patch was not available, so I sent a few questions over to Microsoft. Below are their answers:
How does Microsoft plan to disseminate this? Through automatic updates?:
"Yes. As part of the pilot program, some customers in the U.S. U.K., Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand will be invited to receive WGA Notifications through Automatic Updates (AU) to learn whether or not they are running genuine Windows. Customers who opt in to the pilot and learn they are using non-genuine versions of Windows will receive a message during logon that their copy of Windows appears to be non-genuine and will be directed to the WGA Web site to learn more. If they choose not to obtain a copy of genuine Windows at that time, the customer will receive reminders until they are running genuine Windows. While the pilot is presently opt-in, as it expands later in the year, AU and WU customers may be required to participate. Users who have not validated their machines as genuine through WGA will not be able to download IE 7 and Windows Defender among other downloads and updates. However, they will not be denied critical security updates" (my emphasis added).
Will the Windows customer who uses auto-updates have the opportunity to decline this update and still install other updates?:
"The pilot is opt-in, so all participants are given a choice about whether or not they wish to participate. The opt-in is via a License Terms dialog, and users can chose to accept or decline. Only users who accept will receive the software. Once installed, participants will have the option to suppress notifications for some length of time. Users will not have the option of uninstalling WGA Notifications. Customers [already] running genuine Windows Advantage will be unaffected by WGA notifications. Users running non-genuine Windows will see the notifications at boot time, login time, and periodically to via a system tray bubble notification. Messages are displayed until the system is running genuine Windows. Users can choose to suppress the notifier. The notifier will remind such users that they are not running genuine Windows and direct them to the WGA failure page, where they can learn more about the benefits of genuine software and take advantage of the Microsoft genuine Windows offers designed to help victims of counterfeit software. All users are able to receive High Priority Security & reliability updates regardless of their validation status. Users will not have the option of uninstalling WGA Notifications" (again, my emphasis).
What has been the rate of acceptance among Windows users to the Genuine Advantage program so far? How many potentially pirated versions of Windows has Microsoft received reports of thus far through the WGA program and installed tools?
"To date, we have already validated more than 150 million systems worldwide with WGA. As of March 2006, the WGA notifications program has been offered to more than 13 million users and we estimate an additional 13 million customers will receive the program with the present expansion. The ultimate goal of WGA is to differentiate genuine Windows software from non-genuine software. WGA also helps Microsoft learn more about counterfeit resellers and their illegal practices. We don't have specific numbers to share."
What exactly happens in the event that the tool finds a PC that is suspected of running a counterfeit version of Windows (what info, if any, is then shared with Redmond)?:
"WGA Notifications is for Windows XP users. Our client software does not collect any information that can be used to identify or contact a user. We use the same process used by many popular search engines and Web sites to determine where their users are from -- a form of IP lookup. This IP lookup process does not include any information that is used to identify you or contact you, and only gives a rough geographic representation of where users are located."
Microsoft also said it is planning to expand the anti-piracy pilot to Microsoft Office products. Initially this will affect users of various foreign language versions of Office, including Brazilian Portuguese, Czech, Greek, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Russian and Spanish.
Microsoft has every right to defend its intellectual property rights, and I don't for a single second begrudge the company for trying to quash software piracy, which is a very costly and global problem. But I'm a little concerned that this action could cause a number of Windows users to turn off automatic updates completely, and as such leave their systems unpatched and sitting ducks for would-be attackers who might use those machines for criminal purposes.
For my part, I turned off Automatic Updates several months ago, mainly because I got sick of telling Windows not to install its "malicious software removal tool," (even though I checked the box next to "don't ask again" or something to that effect, Windows asks permission to reinstall the program every time other updates are available).
Microsoft also released today an update to fix a Windows security patch (MS06-015) it issued a week ago that caused problems for some users of Hewlett-Packard hardware and software, as well as some Windows users who have certain Nvidia graphics cards installed.
Microsoft said that if you are configured to receive automatic updates, you don't need to do anything: "It will detect if you have the problem and deliver the update to you. If you have not yet installed MS06-015, the revised version will be offered to you." Automatic update users will also get a complimentary copy of the new Windows anti-piracy tool as well.
:source: Source: http://blog.washingtonpost.com/secur...ipiracy_p.html[/news]
Re: Microsoft Scanning your computer for piracy
Here's an easy solution. Disable automatic updates and download the security updates from here...
http://windowsupdate.62nds.com/
You might have to look through the updates though and uncheck the WGA crap.
Re: Microsoft Scanning your computer for piracy
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimi...
Here's an easy solution. Disable automatic updates and download the security updates from here...
http://windowsupdate.62nds.com/
You might have to look through the updates though and uncheck the WGA crap.
Yes good point Jim , but you don't receive the other critical updates for programs such as Windows Office for example .
Re: Microsoft Scanning your computer for piracy
You see, every time I think I'm gonna break down and just go buy a legit copy,
M$ pulls some bullshit like this.
Fuck em. They can keep their anti-piracy *cough* spyware *cough*.
I got a set of Debian ISOs that's been sitting on my HDD for a couple of months.
Maybe it's time to give them a go.
I still have a legit Win2k Pro setup, I can use it for games, I guess.
Re: Microsoft Scanning your computer for piracy
Or, load belarc or any other application that will show you a legit winxp key onto a flash drive and take it to work or the library and borrow their key :P
Re: Microsoft Scanning your computer for piracy
Quote:
Originally Posted by peat moss
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimi...
Here's an easy solution. Disable automatic updates and download the security updates from here...
http://windowsupdate.62nds.com/
You might have to look through the updates though and uncheck the WGA crap.
Yes good point Jim , but you don't receive the other critical updates for programs such as Windows Office for example .
Well Microsoft are going to be implementing OGA soon, so unless you want to be constantly applying cracks to Office, you should start using something else or buy it.
I was using Office 2003 but I've started using Mozilla Thunderbird for E-mail and OpenOffice for word processing.
Re: Microsoft Scanning your computer for piracy
i think i might have this installed, but i don't get the popup message. ???
Re: Microsoft Scanning your computer for piracy
Same, thats cos my Windoze is patched XD
I even installed the Firefox plugin for the hell of it, and it still things my Windoze is legal.
Re: Microsoft Scanning your computer for piracy
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimi...
Quote:
Originally Posted by peat moss
Yes good point Jim , but you don't receive the other critical updates for programs such as Windows Office for example .
Well Microsoft are going to be implementing OGA soon, so unless you want to be constantly applying cracks to Office, you should start using something else or buy it.
I was using Office 2003 but I've started using Mozilla Thunderbird for E-mail and OpenOffice for word processing.
Who updates office anyways? :blink:
Like theres some security breaches in that too?
Re: Microsoft Scanning your computer for piracy
Go to the local college and pick up a copy for $10.
Re: Microsoft Scanning your computer for piracy
Don't you need to go to the school to get the discount? Even if you do just get one of them studnets and ask them to buy one for you with your money of course. :D
Re: Microsoft Scanning your computer for piracy
Quote:
Originally Posted by fkdup74
You see, every time I think I'm gonna break down and just go buy a legit copy,
M$ pulls some bullshit like this.
Fuck em. They can keep their anti-piracy *cough* spyware *cough*.
I got a set of Debian ISOs that's been sitting on my HDD for a couple of months.
Maybe it's time to give them a go.
I still have a legit Win2k Pro setup, I can use it for games, I guess.
trudat
Re: Microsoft Scanning your computer for piracy
For once, I'm glad my store PC came with a legit copy of XP Media Center Edition... I have that automatic updates shit disabled anyway, I set it to ask me before downloading/updating, and I always pick no. Now that I think of it, it's only asked me to update something once. :unsure:
Hell with auto updates, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. :P
Re: Microsoft Scanning your computer for piracy
Sure, turning off auto-updates will protect you for a bit. Until MS decides to make it compulsory, just like they did with the whole "Genuine advantages" concept.
/me starts gathering documentation on linux and openoffice.
Re: Microsoft Scanning your computer for piracy
How does windows check for a legit copy? Does it connect to the MS servers to compare against current registered systems and hardware?
Can it break and give a bad detection?
I once again disabled the Automatic Updates service after getting all the latest updates except this. Disabled the first time after SP1 said it could download and install any software on the system.
Anyone else feel that Microsoft will soon turn this into a subscription service to use your PC to make more money?
Re: Microsoft Scanning your computer for piracy
Wait, so... if I am using a legit purchased copy of Windows, I shouldn't worry right? Or are they gonna bust me for something else I didn't do? :blink:
Re: Microsoft Scanning your computer for piracy
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rip The Jacker
Wait, so... if I am using a legit purchased copy of Windows, I shouldn't worry right? Or are they gonna bust me for something else I didn't do? :blink:
Your good. They just check if your copy of windoze is real.
Re: Microsoft Scanning your computer for piracy
You could get a copy of BLSA 2.0 and that will let you know what updates you need to go hunting for, it also gives you more choice of what updates to install. You can also download updates individually and keep them in case you need to reformat, if you can't get a copy of this pm me and I'll post on usenet and put up the nzb.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sec...fault.mspx#E4B
As for office go download openoffice it IMO is far better than MS Office and you can save you docs in a form that MS office will read.
www.openoffice.org
Also many of the security holes in windows can be plugged via
www.computersecuritytool.com
For a list of available updates go to
http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=31886
But please do remember any updates not downloaded from MS are not to be considered secure since there is no way of verifying them and they could be comprimised.
Re: Microsoft Scanning your computer for piracy
Quote:
Originally Posted by fkdup74
You see, every time I think I'm gonna break down and just go buy a legit copy,
M$ pulls some bullshit like this.
Fuck em. They can keep their anti-piracy *cough* spyware *cough*.
I got a set of Debian ISOs that's been sitting on my HDD for a couple of months.
Maybe it's time to give them a go.
I still have a legit Win2k Pro setup, I can use it for games, I guess.
Try Ubuntu
http://www.ubuntu.com/download
http://easylinux.info/wiki/Ubuntu
You will find all filesharing programs are easy to install under ubuntu.
If you have any concerns feel free to ask.
