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Microsoft Genuine Advantage Cracked in 24 Hours
jrobie writes "It looks like mandatory validation of your Windows XP license is now voluntary again. A simple hack has been found that disables the check.
BoingBoing has the story. "
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Are they serious about security, privacy and piracy yet?
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MS continues to do its absolute best (or does it?) to prevent their products from being hacked to bits (no pun intended), and they have no choice. As part of their business, it's mandatory that they attempt to curtail software piracy. But they know, and we know, that it can't be done. It's like the terrorists (now, seriously guys, I'm NOT making a link between hackers and terrorists, I'm above that). But look at it this way. The US government has to protect against all possible terror threats, whereas the terrorists only have to find one single way to break through. That is, Microsoft will have to figure out every possible way that their products can be cracked and provide protection, but the hackers must only find one single weakness. So to speak.
I'm with you. As far as a just plug in and there you go Linux distribution goes, I don't think that Mandrake (Mandriva) can be beat.. I'm loving Kubuntu, though, I think it's the tops... Despite some issues, since KDE really isn't the supported window manager for Ubuntu. Have you tried Cedega for running windows apps? It's not free, but it's CHEAP and it has worked for everything I've tried, most especially games. Photoshop works under it, and I do all my video editing with VirtualDub.. So I don't have to jump through any hoops for that one.
Each processor would proceed sequentially as if it had been better for them not to rise against Saul.
The irony of course is that because of security concerns, MS has been saying that to be safe don't run exe's off the net and disable activeX, and to ensure security, they're making you run exe's off the net and use ActiveX.
How long before someone creates a phishing site that lets people download a 'genuinewindows.exe' that's not so genuine?
This seems like such a amatuer web developer move that I'm led to think maybe they left it easy to bypass on purpose. Come on, if Microsoft eliminated all piracy of windows, people might actually try something else.
I cant wait to see how secure the XBox360 will be
Fairly.
Don't mistake MS's "see, we tried" pretend attempts at security, and their "this hurts our bottom line" real security.
The original XBox still has no generally applicable software-only crack for it, after several years in the field. Real security.
This new "please don't pirate Windows" joke lasted 24 hours. Why? Microsoft WANTS people to pirate Windows. Very, very few private individuals would pay $300 for an OS plus $300 for an office app suite. However, if "everyone" uses it already, then the sort of customers who do buy, such as businesses and governments, will far more likely go with Microsoft.
Call me paranoid if you want, but NO modern attempt at secure authentication has any excuse for not using server-side verified, AES-encrypted communication. A pathetic little unverified Javascript toy? Gimme a break.
they would actually treat their customers like their legitimate users unless they give them reason to believe otherwise. Here would be a good idea for Microsoft: allow unlimited product activations if you buy a site license for your house and send them a registration notice in the mail. Then product activation is against others who might steal your serial number.
I have enough PCs that I'd pay $300 for a "home site license." Microsoft could create such a thing without any hassle because for many households, it'd be worth it. All they'd have to do is make you send a copy of your driver's license or something in the mail and then if someone tries using your serial number that doesn't share the data on your driver's license, they go after them for infringement. That way, product activation doesn't harass law-abiding users.
I'd love to use Longhorn because it looks like a good release, but damned if I'm going to buy it and get 2 "harassment-free" installs. If I buy it, you can bet that I'll only buy it after I've either gotten a cracked CD or found a site license serial that actually works like the ones that XP uses. Every windows license I have is valid, though I use cracked CDs just to get around the PA. Seesh, why am I forced to behave like a common criminal? I can't wait to be able to switch back to OS X at this rate...
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Jump through hoops? I was verified in under thirty seconds with two clicks,
Just because you are a fast jumper doesn't mean it wasn't a hoop.
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So why should you get free continued support?
Now, if you had paid a maintenance fee (quarterly, yearly, ..), then you would of course get updates for the life of the maintenance contract.
But free?
It's supposed to be free because that's how Microsoft has done it. If they want to change it, change it. But define that change clearly and prominently at the time of sale.
Lots of smaller software companies sell you A & B & C packages:
If Microsoft wants to follow that model, fine. Do it... on all new copies of XP they've sold. But for the prior ones, stop adding hoops and checks to make sure I paid. I bought it, I installed it, activated it, I've done enough to qualify for my updates.
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Which leads me to put my tin foil hat on and say: was this really a hack? Or is Microsoft happy to have this effect 99% of people on earth, and allow the 1% of techies who are unhappy about this either for privacy reasons, or because they have have a "pirate" edition of Windows, to get around it and stop complaining? I don't really see this as getting one over on Microsoft, smart authoritarian hierarchies often leave little safety valves for discontent like this around, allowing a few people to get away with breaking the rules, instead of them going about trying to change or get rid of the rules.
"You could of course argue that the company has a moral obligation to provide updates, and in fact it makes good Public Relations sense to provide free fixes for broken software, but they are really not obligated to."
If I buy a Television (OR motherboard, hard drive, child's car seat, shingles for the roof, combine for the wheat harvest, CNC press brake for the machine shop, etc.) that doesn't work I can get my money back.
If it works when I get it, I use it correctly, and it breaks in a short period of time (because of a hidden weakness in the product) I get it fixed for free.
In most industries, anyone who doesn't follow that rule goes out of business very quickly.
I think that we are just used to software being an exception.
Exam 4/C again. Maybe I'll do better this time.
You are quite correct. They're not targetting the people who download it off of a warez site. They're hoping to get the people who bought a copy that looked real with a manual and all that.
They aren't actually punishing those people either. In the case where you unknowingly purchased an unlicensed copy of XP, they're giving you a free one if you can provide documentation. From a previous article posted here:
"Customers who discover they have a counterfeit copy of Windows will either be given a free version of the operating system or can purchase it for a discounted price, he said.
To get the free version of Windows, a customer must fill out a counterfeit report identifying the source of the software, provide a proof of purchase and send in a counterfeit CD of the software. If customers don't have all of that information, they can still fill out a counterfeit report and receive a copy of Windows XP Home Edition for $99 or a copy of Windows XP Professional Edition for $149, Lazar said."
So looks like even if you dealt in a shady off-the-truck operation, you would still be eliglble for OEM pricing.
There's another reason for locks and alarms: To make your car (or whatever) more of a pain to steal than the next guy's. It's like the joke about the campers who hear a grizzly bear coming. One starts putting on his running shoes. The other says, "What are you doing? You can't outrun a bear!" The reply: "I don't have to outrun the bear. I just have to outrun you."