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Windows Key Leak Threatens Mass Piracy
lou_soyur writes "A key code for installing Microsoft's Windows Server 2003 has leaked onto the Internet. Rampant piracy sure to follow fears Microsoft, so it's a safe assumption that their lawyers "would scour the Internet looking for the leaked code". The joy of closed source security at work."
The apparent owner of the 'leaked' key has disappeared today. Microsoft states there is absolutely no connection between the 2 events...
-------
"In times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act."
-- George Orwell
The poster forgot to link to the leaked key. A fix would be appreciated.
I wouldn't upgrade to SP1 if I were you nasty hacker pirates :-)
Bye!
Locking all the windows in the house and the sliding doors with locks that require keys to open, is my token gesture at keeping my computer equipment in the house and burglars out.
I know it doesn't work always. And my contingency escape plan is throw chair through window in case of fire. Which will work unless I install security window tinting. In which case I may need a special ice pick to get out. Hmm, that might double as burglar repellant.
-- it must be true, it's on the internet.
"Windows Key Leak threatens mass piracy"
If I'm reading it correctly (2am w/o coffee) it seems that the subject of the sentence --Windows Key Leak-- is acting --threatens(threaten)-- on the predicate --mass piracy--.
If MS is worried about piracy, shouldn't they leak *more* codes?
$cat
I still don't want it!
...the terrorists win.
This message brought to you by your Attorney General's office.
with any luck they will go ahead and block that key code from upgrading to SP1, therefor saving us from the pesky memory leak that SP1 is bound to cause.
slashdot, news for crazed liberal socialist zealots
One thing missing - what's the key?
Make even shorter URLs - 8LN.org
K4RBR is the new FCKGW.
NO CARRIER
I was still using A = 1 B = 2... Now my stuff is really going to be secure.
Congratulations! Now we are the Evil Empire
So this enterprise product, targeted towards business, can now be installed by 15 year old irc warez monkeys on their home pc's?
The subtle point is that their souped up gaming pc's will probably run this latest incarnation of windows better than the hardware available to most businesses.
drag me drop me treat me like an object
Well, ok, not funny, more like, extremely aggravating. Is the continued claims of groups like the BSA. They, and their research numbers, are about as believable as pretty much ANYTHING that comes out of the RIAA's mouth.
Funnier still is this claim of increased piracy.
By whom???? Bob college student dicking around with a spare PC in the corner?
Ver few businesses will go without product licensing nowadays. It's just not worth it.
And speaking of not worth it, I HIGHLY doubt that now that we have our Win2k server and Active Directory up and running, and functioning with all the other systems (payroll, accounting, timeclock, inventory, etc. etc.) we are going to shel out MORE money for a new Windows Server platform....forget that. Last thing I want is to setup Server '03 and pray to God nothing complains. For what? What do I REALLY gain from the upgrade? DICK!
"The saddest words of mice and men, are not those which were, but should have been."
>inexpensive, fast, good - choose two
I have a similar thought about horse riding
desired direction, right speed, balanced in the saddle - choose two.
If I got speed and balance right, the horse was usually headed for the nearest low branch.
If I got direction and speed right, I usually wasn't in contact with the saddle. Ie standing in the stirrups.
If I got direction and balance right, usually the horse was stopped and eating.
Hmm wonder how I could bring it back to topic?
popular, secure, profitable - choose two?
-- it must be true, it's on the internet.
would be more like it
The top poster wrote: An open source security program would be exceptionally easy to bypass. The next guy responded to that. If the top guy wasn't, as you say, talking about security programs at all, but rather some silly fuckware, maybe he, and by extension you, are the idiots...
W1ND-0W5-2S-A5-FR33-A5-L1NUX-N0W-C0MMUN1ST5 ...and someone at MS tells me that is Bill Gates who leaked the code!
posting working serials here on slashdot? or are they all fake?
well try this, does it make sense?
Join the crowd
Build a tower
8 meters to the right
8 meters to the left
Forty meters in height
-
Wait for good weather
Tear down the tower
2 people will help
Questions will follow
3 days just have passed
-
Does anybody wonder
Probably
X is a hard letter
T is much better
Together they fit
-
You should know already
8 again a typo?
Good lord it's fun
Help them spread there software
Greed is a sin
-
7 sins there are
You should have got it now
You remember that 'fuck you' tombstone?
Questions?
You got it.
Oh, never mind.
There are two kinds of people in the world: those with loaded guns, and those who dig.
Stolen codes are often traded with the Microsoft software, typically on Web sites, newsgroups or Internet Chat Relay (IRC).
That's from the news.com article, it's good to know that sites other than slashdot have lazy editors.
But I think you just made that up
Unless you know something we don't
Like you work for Microsoft
Less chance of actually having a third valid serial
So it seems, anyway
Hey, or maybe you just nicked it from work
I still don't believe you
Thanks and goodbye!
Use Double ROT-13 encryption, and your securitiy problems will be over.
One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
Put the CDROM in the slot, boot the machine, and nobody gets hurt. ARRRRRRRR!!
Bill Stewart
New Fast-Compression-only CPR http://preview.tinyurl.com/dy575ks
You only have to use normal ROT-13 and it is illegal for any Russian to decrypt your data... The US gov will go to incredible lengths to catch these Russian spies now.
I love stacking my barbecues in the shed at the end of summer - you can't beat a bit of grill on grill action.
I'm sorry, but that's just too funny. I snorted coffee out my nose when I read that. /\/\Y 1337 HuRD 0f GNUs!!! LOL ROFL"
Can you imagine posts to LKML digitally signed by RMS reading something like "ph33r
That said, The key that has been leaked isn't that big a deal to pirates, it just makes it less dificult to do the initial installation. Nat a big deal. Windows ME & 2000 pirate releases usually have a binary patch to the installer so it doesn't need a key at all.
Desperation is a stinky cologne
That's silly. My piracy isn't threatened by this leak. In fact, if I were to guess, I would think this leak will increase piracy, not threaten it.
I'm an American. I love this country and the freedoms that we used to have.
Hi, I need a serial for the latest Linux kernel, version 2.4.20, the old serial doesn't work anymore. I'd prefer a keygen over a crack.. TIA!!
:)
*now waits for the obligatory 'Me too!!' posts*
C:\> deltree \Windows
make oldconfig deps modules bzimage install
If that doesn't work for you, there are others!
After spending several hours looking over this latest release from the 'Redmondian Army of Doom', I have mixed feelings about this key as a whole but I still find myself strangely attracted to a few of it's verses. It is as if parts of it were composed by choruses of lilting angels while other parts we're slapped together with the premediation of a four year old making mud pies. Lets take a look at this new key... verse, by haunting verse, shall we?
C4C24-
What a stunning beginning! Almost symetrical, yet still off balance even with the repeating C's and 4's. The 2 was a discordant shocker at first, but the more I read over it, the more I found that it acted as a 'front porch', if you will, for the firmly concluding 4.
QDY9P-
This is that "Mud Pie" verse that I alluded to earlier. After such a strong beginning with "C4C24", "QDY9P" is a total dissapointment. I think the problem here is the 9. The "QDY phrase is an intriguing start to this verse but the 9 just throws away any semblance of order.
GQJ4F-
This is without a doubt, the most playful and funky verse in the key. The central "QJ4" is a sassy and taunting invocation of some well known classical themes which takes on a whole different tone when sandwiched between the "G" and the slightly naughty "F".
2DB6G-
Probably the most memorable verse in this work, I kept humming "2DB", "2DB", "2DB", "2DB" to myself all afternoon. This cadence was a welcome change of pace and helped move this key back in the right direction toward the finale.
PFQ9W
What a triumph! This final verse had me on the edge of my seat in anticipation as each new character played on the preceeding ones with a curious mixture of both lust and fury. The "PFQ" opening is both sensual and vulgar at once, but when blended into a "Q9W" clarion call, the effect is awsome and should stand as one of the great Windows Key verses of all time.
"A microprocessor... is a terrible thing to waste." --
GeneralEmergency
Just think of all those poor coders in Redmond who are going to be poor and starve as a result!
Stick Men
And here I've been using A = 65 B = 66... damn.
~.~
I'm a peripheral visionary.
Seedy bar. Toilet stall door.
"For a Good Time "
This sig has been temporarily disconnected or is no longer in service
In soviet russia the data decrypts you.
"Company X, Here's an email with the key to unlimited software installs, and therefore more or less unlimited money. Please don't give it to other people. Thanks, Microsoft"
add that to:
"Hello employees, it's the boss of Company X. Here's the key to install all the software in your email -- please don't take it home and steal other software with it."
SURE! There are a lot of people out there who wouldn't handle that responsibility well.
stuff |
Instead of worrying about a leaky Windows key, why don't you just use this to kill it?
"A utility to disable the Windows key and context menu key on newer 104-key Windows 95 keyboards. Great for preventing interruption of DOS or DirectX games."
I think you'd be happier if you typed: C:\> deltree \Windows
:)
You're making an assumption that they are running Windows. This could be a happy DOS user (DOS 2.1 RULES!), or an OS/2 user who insists on going down with the ship
Anyone else read this as GLib?
I need a hobby.
T
---- It puts the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again. It does this whenever it's told.
I'm so angry I'm going to maybe go and type about it on the internet and search for a warez key and then I'm going to look at porn.
WTF?
ARG WHY ARE YOU SO EVIL MICRO$OFT?!?!
Ok, and then I ate some breakfast and my vision came back after blacking out last night because I was so angry at microsoft that I drank three liters of rum in an hour straight and goddamn I had no idea there was an ACTIVATION CODE ON THE BOTTLE.
So now I'm living in a bridge down by the river driking benzene and eating crickets laced in LSD 25. SCREW YOU MICROSOFT. GOD BLESS LINUX!
Hammer of Truth
Wait a minute... you mean people actually WANTED to pirate ME? I paid NOT to have it on my system!
This space for rent, inquire within.
...that the Iraqi Minister, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf , says that in no way has Windows 2003 been compromised by a leaked serial key. In fact, there are no hackers anywhere near Windows 2003. In fact, Windows has never been hacked nor have keys ever been leaked.