Lincoln Computer Club Forum

[divingbrit]

The latest move made by Microsoft on the anti-piracy front for the latest iteration of the Windows client is about to send over 70 cracks the way of the dodo bird.

On February 11th, the Redmond company announced the release of an upcoming Windows Activation Technologies Update for Windows 7, designed to purge the operating system from more than 70 known illegal activation hacks. According to Joe Williams, general manager, Genuine Windows, the refresh is set up to detect more than 70 known and potentially dangerous activation exploits and to inform end users that they are using a pirated copy of Windows 7.

As per the official schedule revealed by the software giant, today, February 16th, is the first day when the Windows Activation Technology Update for Windows 7 will be available online via the Microsoft genuine website. On February 17th, the refresh will also be offered as a standalone download through the Microsoft Download Center. By the end of this month, the Windows Activation Technology Update for Windows 7 will also be pushed automatically to all users of Windows Vista’s successor via Windows Update.

Williams explained that not only will the update be able to tell whether certain copies of Windows 7 are pirated or not, and trigger the non-Genuine experience for those that are, but it will continue to be a part of ongoing anti-piracy checks. Essentially, the Windows Activation Technologies Update for Windows 7 will phone home to Microsoft every 90 days. The periodic validations are designed so that the technology stays up to date with the latest Windows 7 crack signatures in order to detect and disable them. “When tampering, disabling, or missing licensing files are discovered, the WAT Update runs a check and repair weekly to ensure that the licensing files are properly repaired,” Williams stated.

The promise from Microsoft is that customers running genuine copies of Windows 7 have nothing to worry about, and that they won’t feel a difference in how the platform operates. However, there are those that fail to see eye-to-eye with the Redmond company, including Lauren Weinstein, co-founder of PFIR - People For Internet Responsibility, co-founder and moderator of NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad.

Weinstein pointed the finger at Microsoft in the past, when the company’s Windows Genuine Advantage software was also phoning home from Windows XP. “Microsoft most definitely has a valid interest in fighting the piracy of their products. It's a serious problem, with negative ramifications for Microsoft and its users. But in my opinion, Microsoft is about to embark on a dramatic escalation of anti-piracy efforts that many consumers are likely to consider to be a serious and unwanted intrusion at the very least,” Weinstein stated.

source: news.softpedia.com

[divingbrit]

Earlier this month Neowin reported that Microsoft would be rolling out a new piracy check update for Windows 7. The update is said to check for 70 known activation exploits by checking the local PC. Upon realizing that a copy of Windows is not genuine, the program will change the user's desktop to black, leave a watermark showing that it's not a legal copy, and bug the user with notifications.

According to Engadget, the update is finally beginning to make its way to people's computers. The update is vaguely titled "Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB971033)." For 32-bit systems, it will probably say "for x86-based Systems." Just check the KB number to be sure. This is the description of the update:

"This update to Windows Activation Technologies detects activation exploits and tampering to key Windows system files. These exploits try to bypass regular Windows activation and are sometimes included with counterfeit copies of Windows."

It's still unclear what the 70 activation exploits are. The update is listed as "Important" meaning it will be installed automatically to users who have enabled automatic updates. Users are able to deselect the update and not allow it to install if they wish. However, if you're not doing anything wrong to begin with, and you only use legit software, there's really nothing to worry about.