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MS To Limit Security Fixes to Legal Copies of Windows
rufey writes "An Associated Press artcile on MSNBC is reporting that Microsoft is going to start restricting access to security updates from pirated copies of its Windows operating systems. Starting in mid 2005, if you have a pirated copy of Windows, the only way to obtain security updates will be through the automatic updates mechanism. And even that method may be restricted at a future date. The article is light on details about what versions of Windows this will affect. Parts of the system to check for a valid copy of Windows is already used when downloading software (such as Media Player) from Microsoft - except that validation is currently optional." EnderWigginsXenocide points out Reuters' version of the story.
Folks will just start distributing these patches through other arenas (torrent, newsgroups, web sites, etc.), or will develop methods (as they always have) to work around the system checks.
This is just a ruse to get folks to pay less attention to the fact that the MS OS is generally less secure for most people than it should be...
Like, if my HPiece-of-shit laptop dies and I "transfer" my XP license to a Dell, does that count as piracy?
Yes, because now you don't buy software. You lease it. >:(
And what happens if the machine you're legitimately trying to update can't be put on the internet? I remember during the blaster virus, some of our laptops were getting infected so fast, we had to make sure the remote users did NOT get online, and we had to send them the security update and blaster cleaner on disk.
So, under Microsoft's new model, we wouldn't have been able to fix those machines, because as soon as we let them on the internet to "validate" their copy of Windows and download the patch, they would have been reinfected and rebooted. Lame.
If you install WinXP Volume licenced edition with the famous FCKGW RHQQ2 (Genius!) serial number then install IE critical updates from Windowsupdate, the computer will start crashing on an occasional basis... its been widely rumoured that early on in the XP lifecycle Microsoft issued a patch which has an additional function of degrading the reliability of pirated copies.
This is reproducible with any XP volume licenced CD using that serial so bad media can be ruled out
I have been a user for about 10 years. This ends Feb 2014. The site's been ruined. I'm off. Dice, FU
No, for corporate edition your not supposed to use winupdate, your supposed to "streamline" the patches into the installer, and install an already service packed and patched system(or reinstall) on all your workstations, which may even be faster then trying to install a patch on a system with weird settings/corrupted files/messed up registry's.
Ok say some sinister hacker knowing that cd keys are
stored in the registry builds a little one liner that inserts a known comprimised key. You know ms is gonna check for this.
The result is a ton of instantly owned machines since they are unable to install security updates.......brilliant plan
That being said I hope they enforce their licensing pirates are slowing the uptake of Linux, it hurts everyone.
Got Code?
I often wonder if this is an accurate comment - surely they have a big database full of keys they 'know' they've printed little green or blue stickers for right?
I know xpkey comes included on a lot of pirated XP cd's here in the Philippines, or if not, the guy or girl selling the CD advises you to download it.
Original
XP Professional costs roughly 8000 peso (US $160) XP Home about 5000 (US $100)
Pirated
XP Pro 100 peso.
XP Home 100 peso.
So last night I was playing Wow for a while and the performance in Orgrimmar was pretty bad. I figured I'd up the ram in my main maachine to fix the problem.
Pulled the ram from another machine, dropped it in and rebooted windows. Windows XP then informed me I had made substantial changes to the machine since I installed XP Pro on it and told me I had to re-activate it.
If this causes me, at a future date, to have issues because another minor change triggers the Activate windows, and it fails for some reason and I can't get security updates I am going to sue their ass.
Thankfully I have a Mac.
(If I had Priated XP I wouldn't even have this concern. I'm sick of being treated like shit after spending a few hundred on stuff.)
that MSFT can not detect because they do not have a master database of printed keys. that would be a farking nightmare
How so? The number has to be generated and printed right? Why not just record the number at that point of generation. Considering the amount of money involved if they could stamp out piracy, theyd invest the few minutes in adding a database to the computer printing the numbers. I dont think the problem is they dont have this database. I wouldnt be surprised if in the future you do have to have a legit key. Even if its a corp key, it would have to have been issued and not randomly generated. They could then check ip ranges if they really wanted to for that key, but i doubt they would. They could quite readily fine the company that distributed that key however.
I.O.U One Sig.
Heh, I submitted this same news bit many hours before it was posted but I too had my submission rejected.
In my submission, I noted that as a computer repair tech it can be a pain to get CD keys from customers in order to reinstall their OS, and asked the readers if they thought this would really clamp down on piracy or simply cause a support nightmare for users and repair shops.
I haven't even noticed any discussions on this unfortunately. Many posts seem to be assuming that only pirated copies of XP will be affected. From the looks of things, people will have to produce their key and answer some questions for this new Windows Genuine Advantage.
Its really quite frustrating to have to pirate software because of losing the CD key I recieved X years ago. Personally, I think they should ditch keys and activation altogether - high profile software products such as Windows will always be easier to pirate than earn $150 go to the store, and buy. IMO, the only thing keys do is badger legitimate customers into "pirating" software they purchased - I've seen it happen again and again.