News Microsoft Sued for Anti-Piracy Tool

[Tim S]

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2006/06...i-piracy_tool/

[mclean007]

Don't see why it's a big deal - MS isn't going to use the information it collects in any way other than to try to protect its legitimate interests by reducing piracy, so it's no big deal. The only people who should be concerned are people without a legit copy of XP on their machines, and IMHO, having paid nothing to MS, they don't deserve MS's support by way of updates. In any event, if you're really paranoid you can still use Windows without installing WGA, so long as you're willing to limit your updates to critical security patches only. Furthermore, you can use third party updating tools (e.g. WindizUpdate - http://windowsupdate.62nds.com/) to get other updates without WGA installed.

[Boon]

Originally Posted by mclean007

Don't see why it's a big deal - MS isn't going to use the information it collects in any way other than to try to protect its legitimate interests by reducing piracy, so it's no big deal. The only people who should be concerned are people without a legit copy of XP on their machines, and IMHO, having paid nothing to MS, they don't deserve MS's support by way of updates. In any event, if you're really paranoid you can still use Windows without installing WGA, so long as you're willing to limit your updates to critical security patches only. Furthermore, you can use third party updating tools (e.g. WindizUpdate - http://windowsupdate.62nds.com/) to get other updates without WGA installed.

The argument that if your not doing anything wrong you shouldn't worry can be (and has been) used to implement draconian laws and allow unprecedented collection of personal data. Now I'm not saying that MS aims to use this information in anything other than legitimate purposes and completely confidential (as they state) the fact that databases are being collated is a concern as it makes the possibility of future abuse easier to carry out.

[Lazlow]

They should at least state that your information is being collected, how it will be used, how long for and so on - to fit in with the data collection act. I never realised until I read this, that the tool collected data and sent it back to MS. I would like them to tell me what they're doing with it...

[yahooadam]

just for the record

There still is no way to update Windows XP, however, without it.

is actually very false, of course i cant say how you get past it, but it is most definetly possible (although alot harder after the last 3 schemes have been shut down)

if im not allowed to post this, please delete, but the last 3 ways were
1. Type in the address bar to block it - this was fixed in about a week
2. Disable the WGA tool - now impossible beacause you need "admin" access, if you change it in the registry, it is noticed, and it re-installs when you try to update
3. There was a site on the web that got a key and then people could connect to it (through a greese monkey or windows alternative script), the site was issued a seice and decist notice, and now that doesnt work

There is however yet another way around it (apart from having a legit copy, or not minding if you data is sent to MS) of course im not going to get bit-tech in trouble by saying it (p.s. google is your friend for many a thing)

[Kipman725]

Interesting. My sister acidently downloaded this and It took a whole 5mins to disable.

[will.]

i haven't installed it and i'm still downloading and installing all the other updates just fine... It does ask me to install it each time i install other updates, i just unselect it and install all the other things..

[Zayfod]

If it dosn't explicitly state what information it sends to Microsoft, dosn't that put it in violation of the Data Protection Act?

Just my initial thoughts...

[yahooadam]

Originally Posted by Kipman725

Interesting. My sister acidently downloaded this and It took a whole 5mins to disable.

Originally Posted by will.

i haven't installed it and i'm still downloading and installing all the other updates just fine... It does ask me to install it each time i install other updates, i just unselect it and install all the other things..

you seem to be talking About WGA Notifications
The article seems to be about WGA .... as far as i read it ...

Originally Posted by Zayfod

If it dosn't explicitly state what information it sends to Microsoft, dosn't that put it in violation of the Data Protection Act?

Just my initial thoughts...

The DPA only covers data that can be used to identify a "data subject" (a person) i dont think WGA collects information like that (name, address etc etc) just hardware info ... - thus i dont believe this would violate the DPA

[Spaced_invader]

frankly I hope they are made to remove this tool and compensate users who don't want this information to have been sent to microsoft in the first place. I have 2 legit copies of windows xp, i'm a very private person I hate spam, junk mail and marketing companies. the fact of the matter is, I only have Microsofts word that this information which I did not concent for is being collected is not going to be abused in any way.. When for example steam asks for information on your pc, they firstly ask you for your permission to gather the information, and then ask you again wether you still want to send it. Now when a company is being informative from the word go it's users are much more likelly to agree with what they have to ask and trust the company, but if it just goes ahead and takes it wether you like it or not users are going to start complaining.

[hitman012]

Originally Posted by yahooadam

but it is most definetly possible (although alot harder after the last 3 schemes have been shut down)

That's not really the point - it's the principle that Microsoft try to stop people without it obtaining updates that matters here. Whether it can be circumvented isn't that relevant.

[Cobalt]

Surely this is personal data though if it is linked to our computer via a code. Therefore they should not be allowed to implement this without the user's consent and they cannot keep the data for any longer than is neccessary (ie. how long it takes for them to authenticate the install)

[Kipman725]

I thought that disabling WGA notifications and the WGA aplication and DLL are one and the same.

anyway non of the pcs on my network ever contact M$ as I have blocked all m$ servers via my router now.

[yahooadam]

WGA is the Windows Genuine advantage tool - it is used to check whether your copy of windowz is legitimate - used when updating
WGA notifications - this pop's up messages (b4 log on, during windows, and on the desktop) that its not legitimate

disabling WGA notifications does not remove WGA, and if you disable WGA you cannot update

Edit
oh yeah, you can update without WGA notifications, but you must have WGA installed

[yahooadam]

Originally Posted by hitman012

That's not really the point - it's the principle that Microsoft try to stop people without it obtaining updates that matters here. Whether it can be circumvented isn't that relevant.

well then the line:-

There still is no way to update Windows XP, however, without it.

is wrong, i wasnt debating they dont make it a pain in the ass to update, but that line is not true

Edit
Oops double post ... and you cant delete you own posts on this forum

[Da Dego]

No, yahooadam, it is not wrong.

There is NO LEGAL METHOD for obtaining windows updates from MS without using WGA. Any attempts that have been found have been actively fixed by Microsoft so that you must use a third-party, unsanctioned program that is actually against the EULA to even exist (therefore, illegal).

There still is no way to update Windows XP without WGA, unless you are doing something illegal. This discussion revolves around LEGAL users having to use a program that could potentially also affect their privacy rights.

/kicks thread BACK ON TOPIC.

[serial_]

Or you could just turn off automatic updates, I think they're annoying as hell to begin with.

- serial_

[exavier412]

what's wrong with microsoft sending your system hardware information linked with the registration key of windows? thats hardly private information.

i wouldnt care if microsoft knew that i had an XP processor and a gigabyte motherboard.
i like how the main people that argue against this are usually the very ones this software is trying to get rid of.

[Buzzons]

Automatic updates are very usefull -- they patch your PC against worms / virii etc (eg slammer) without you needing to do things -- if more people had automatic updates ON slammer and blaster would NOT have taken effect as the patch for them had been out for a month before they struck. they also contain stability patches and the like to make your PC work better -- there is no bad point to automatic updates unless you are in a work environment where the update may break a bit of software (hence you have a update test server) at home, you should always use them as it keeps your PC more secure.

The WGA app checks your PC if its legal (as in takes your Key/company info) against the MS database of Keys sold/companies with VLK keys etc. Even if it does send OTHER data, such as mobo/ram/disks etc this is to make sure you are not using the Key on a machine that is different from what it was purchased for. They can not do it by IPs hitting the update site as NAT could easily mask many PCs with the same key. Ergo they need more precise info on your PC to lock a Key to it.

MS would not in any way want to take any other information off your PC -- as it would ruin them, much like Sony was by Sysinternals and ripping their root kit apart. There is nothing to worry about if MS has your key,mobo make,cpu,ram etc.. I mean 1/2 the people here have that in their Sigs (other than the MS key -- which IS MS's anyway!)

You can still get the critical updates from MS even if you have a non legit key which is a great move by MS as it will still stop worms etc. However the rest, which are MS being nice to us, require effort, and if you dont pay for the support, why should you get it.

[Cthippo]

Originally Posted by exavier412

what's wrong with microsoft sending your system hardware information linked with the registration key of windows? thats hardly private information.

i wouldnt care if microsoft knew that i had an XP processor and a gigabyte motherboard.
i like how the main people that argue against this are usually the very ones this software is trying to get rid of.

If it worked, it would still be bad, but livable. However a recent article over in the SD thread pointed out that WGA has a somthing like 5% false positive rate, and I think it may indeed be higher. You'll notice that most of the people who have had problems with it are not using pirated copies, but rather legit copies that WGA decided not to like for some reason. Any time a piece of software makes me jump through hoops to prove that I paid for it and then keeps checking up on me, yeah that pisses me off.