Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Microsoft, Windows x64
Microsoft and Lenovo quickly swashbuckle Windows 7 pirates
by Lee Mathews Jul 31st 2009 at 11:00AM
Then you tracked down 7loader, which took advantage of a leaked Lenovo product key. We know it's out there, came the nonchalant reply from Redmond.
And now, thanks to a cooperative effort, the workaround has already been defeated. The official blog post touts improvements in Windows 7, which "already includes an improved ability to detect hacks, also known as activation exploits, and alert customers who are using a pirated copy." The post continues, stating that no systems will ever be sold using the particular OEM key that was utilized by the exploit.
So what's Microsoft's real goal here? "Our objective isn't to stop every "mad scientist" that's out there from dabbling; our aim is to protect our customers from commercialized counterfeit software that impacts our customers' confidence in knowing they got what they paid for."
Sure...There's absolutely no reason it would have anything to do with crippling the biggest Windows competitor on the market - pirated copies of Windows.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
sitruc said 11:07AM on 7-31-2009
I like hacked software just as much as the next guy, but is Microsoft protecting their software a bad thing?
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Lee Mathews said 11:08AM on 7-31-2009
I certainly don't think so. I'm actually pretty impressed with how quickly they moved on this.
Mike said 11:36AM on 7-31-2009
There will be another crack soon, I wouldnt be surprised if one came out tonight or tomorrow.
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Crazy Serb said 11:41AM on 7-31-2009
"Our primary goal is to protect users from becoming unknowing victims, because customers who use pirated software are at greater risk of being exposed to malware as well as identity theft."
Right....
And they have proof for that where?
I've been using pirated copies of Windows (yes, I admit it) on a bunch of computers in the past (not at work though, personal only), and I have never ever even remotely been worried about being exposed to malware or identity theft.
That same argument ("your privacy, freedom and whatever else vague term people are accustomed to these days may be in danger") has been used by everyone and anyone to pass all kinds of bull - RIAA/MPAA, George Bush and Patriot Act, invasion of Iraq... hell, it's been used since the beginning of time and will be used until the end of time.
Boo-hoo...
Off to find that 7loader now, just in case I decide to install Windows 7 sometime down the road... thanks for the tip.
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Martin-T said 12:12PM on 7-31-2009
When asked to straighten out heavily infected systems, the first thing I look for is limewire (or one of its cousins). The second thing I look for is pirated software. Why? Because the odds on bet is the infection came in from one of those sources. If they insist on re-installing that crap after I'm done... and get infected again... then they get billed full boat when they call me again (and they do). Some people never learn.
DiRT said 1:32PM on 7-31-2009
CRAZY SERB FAIL. Trying making any sense at all next time.
Gav said 11:56AM on 7-31-2009
'our aim is to protect our customers from commercialized counterfeit software'
So downloading a copy of Windows 7 for personal use is fine?
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Sax25 said 12:12PM on 7-31-2009
The only reason MS can block this is because this OEM SLP key has not gone out to customers. yeah sure, Lenovo may have been putting it on some machines, but all they would have to do is recall them and since nothing is officially on sale - no customers would be affected.
Once everything launches at retail in October, then a whole bunch of keys will be available from all the different manufacturers - HP, Dell, Sony etc and then MS will have no way to block them because if they do - they will be blocking legitimate users as well and they won't do that.
The way Vista has been fine for the last few years using a work around of this method - so will 7. The key just leaked early so MS have the ability to do something about it. After machines hit retail, it will be much harder to block SLP keys as it means legitimate customers will also be blocked. The authors of these programs will have the last word, not MS.
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Kali4 said 12:23PM on 7-31-2009
Did I catch that right? My favorite lumbering unweildy grotesque giant of a corporation that takes forever to do anything and forever more to do it right; just floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee? WTF Microsoft! Are you going to make me actually RAISE my expectations of you? First Win7 looks like it might actuall be a win, Bing is a decent reinvention of Live Search, and now this beautifully executed move. Next thing I know, the price of OSs are going to drop...
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Shane Reustle said 12:30PM on 7-31-2009
Swashbuckle is a great band!
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David said 12:54PM on 7-31-2009
Could've been a trap this whole time...
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typoink said 1:03PM on 7-31-2009
Actually, I don't think MS is entirely blowing smoke here. Sure, they're not REALLY motivated by concern about user security (although in business systems, that could be an issue), but I think they do see commercial piracy as a major target. Piracy may be common for us power users who read downloadsquad, but I think most copies of Windows (in the US at least) are legitimate OEM copies.
MS probably sees commercial piracy, especially outside the US, as the biggest single threat to their profits, not some dude grabbing a torrent.
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Naegling said 1:37PM on 7-31-2009
Maybe if they dropped their prices for their OS to a reasonable level, people would actually buy it instead of pirating it.
It's to bad that MS can't see that if they made this OS release $50, Linux and all it's headway that it has made the last few years would be dead ( not to mention Google's possible new OS )...
Redmond will see the light only as they are nailing the coffin shut in a few years. Now is the time for them to take advantage of the market share they still have.
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Lee Mathews said 1:37PM on 7-31-2009
Funny you should mention this. Check back in a couple of minutes for the new post. ;)
Crazy Serb said 2:33PM on 7-31-2009
Actually, you're right... give me the Ultimate version with all bells and whistles and without any nagging restrictions for $50, and I won't bother waiting for a 3 day download off of popular torrents.
But once you start asking for $150-200 for a single license install for that thing, forget about it...
blaszta said 6:09AM on 8-01-2009
Yeah harry, it (might) working, but you have trojan/virus/malware came with it.
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JL said 2:27PM on 8-01-2009
Well w/ that family pack for 149, it's almost like you paid $50 a piece... Plus dealing with hacks and cracks and trojans through the life of the system just because you didn't pay up-front just doesn't seem worth it to me.
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Mo said 2:58AM on 8-21-2009
This is quite sad because cause I know there will be another crack to get by this. And I already know how to get by it anyway lol
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bellig720 said 4:03PM on 9-03-2009
Yes Ive been there used the old windows from someone that hacked. nothing is different from a normal version. I have to agree with the comment on pricing. Microsoft WILL sell more once they price down to a reasonable level. I sell dedicated servers VPS and web hosting, I will never buy windows or suggest a client to use windows on their server. prices are out of their mind in the time were living in now. as people drop prices on houses property and other goods Microsoft charges more to make sure their shares go up $.01 per. If i had to choose now between a pirate copy and buying it even if I had plenty of money I think Id have to go with the hackers. The real criminals is Microsoft and squeezing every last penny out of our economy.
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