Hackers bypass activation in Windows 7, Server 2008 R2

[Jos]

A new method has been discovered and implemented by hackers to get around product activation in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. The hack in question works by disabling access to Windows Activation Technologies (WAT; previously known as Windows Genuine Advantage) and subsequently turning off any nags asking users to activate their copy of Windows 7 after the 30-day evaluation period is over.

This means pirates will be able to keep using the operating system indefinitely without actually providing a product key, nor having to put up with constant activation reminders. This will probably be a short-lived hack, though, as a similar workaround appeared and was barred from Vista years ago via system updates.

A Microsoft spokesperson said they were aware of the technique and were working to shore up the activation procedure. Of course, Windows 7 has been available on torrent sites pretty much from the beginning. Most of the torrent ISOs available online are already cracked using BIOS emulation tools and mods, which seem to be working well enough for now.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/36972-hackers-bypass-activation-in-windows-7-server-2008-r2.html

 

[Ididmyc600]

Brilliant, it didnt take them long did it.....another failed thing by bill gates, when will he realise that if he just charged less for the software people wouldnt bother to hack it...

 

[Basher]

You couldn't make a more incorrect statement. First, the activation process these days is just a deterrent. Make things potentially difficult and/or give the thought that their OS might one day stop working all of a sudden and they get a few more percent of people buying the product instead of pirating it.

Price of software has never stopped anyone from working to crack it. OSX isn't a very good example here, since it doesn't actually require a serial for activation, but even though you can buy it for a mere $30--there are plenty of copies circulating around on the net. Price means nothing.

 

[Adhmuz]

It doesn't matter what they do to try to eliminate people from creating work arounds for activation, there will always be some out there who will break whatever new security measures are implemented. I agree with the previous post, charge less would be a better place to start, considering the success of 7 in comparison to Vista. Although you can get the lowest basic edition OEM for a little over $100 which is not crazy expensive.

 

[TomSEA]

Pricing is a really weak argument for hacking in this case. I mean, you're talking about an OS that you're going to be using arguably for the next 5-8 years, just like Windows XP. And for a hundred bucks? A HUNDRED BUCKS?? That's like $15 per year for the app that makes your computer do all the things it's supposed to do. PS3 and XBox games cost damn near that much.

People crack and steal because they can do it with anonymity. Not because of pricing - that's just one of the many weak excuses thief's use to justify their stealing.

 

[JudaZ]

TomSEA .stealing? Who is stealing . Copyright infringhment is NOT stealing .. .never was, never will be.

You make a copy,....thats all .. .sure they loose money, but still is not stealing...beacuse then DCMA is pointless, (well it is)

why procecute people for copyrightinfringhement , if its theft?

 

[freedomthinker]

Hehe , you gotta hand it to hackers , they are awesome ! But seriously why don't people hire hackers ? It would be better They see all the flaws .

 

[Guest]

There is a much better crack, that makes your Win7 completely legit with working legit OEM keys.

 

[Tedster]

a hundred bucks yes- well justified considering all the sweat and talent it takes to program an OS..... if you can do better then do it!

 

[Guest]

In third world countries the price of windows is very expensive, considering that the average salary is very low compared with the average salary of the middle class in Europe or USA, so piracy in these countries is much more "justified". Microsoft sets high prices because they are a monopoly, there is real no competition in the desktop pc market.

 

[Guest]

Lol, the hack this article mentions is brilliant, it's called RemoveWAT.exe. People will always hack Windows, it's a given. They still need to drop their price though.

 

[Guest]

I agree for US citizens must be have more discount ,and lower the price it will help a lot .

 

[Guest]

If were to hire hackers, they would require some kind of open source policy that would allow anyone to admit they knew how to break a fix and not be charged with a crime.

Still, I've used open source and windows, they both have a lot of problems. But for open source, i don't have to pay for something that works only to some extent.

 

[tengeta]

Many hackers are hired into companies these days, but since a lot start underage for those kinds of jobs, they really don't have other options but to crack crap for people.

 

[Guest]

What?

$150 bucks for a Family pack (3 licenses) is not that much at all... (ie: $50 bucks for Windows 7)

Hackers do this because they are scoundrels with no jobs. Why else would they go threw such hassles, for the cost of a dinner date? No money to begine with. Hackers = no moral, no money.

I met two hackers from the Czech, they were pickpockets too..

 

[Puiu]

I don't need an hack since i got Win7 Pro for free cuz i'm a student ^_^

 

[Guest]

I have to admit that Seven is the first OS I have ever payed for. MS products have always been free for me since MS-Dos 5.0 and onwards.

Sure, I could have just pirated it like every other copy of Windows I've used - but this time around, I'm enjoying the knowledge I don't even have to bother about cracks or OEM copies that may 'one day' get flagged. For that reason alone, it's worth it.

 

[argowen]

Guest said:
What?

$150 bucks for a Family pack (3 licenses) is not that much at all... (ie: $50 bucks for Windows 7)

Hackers do this because they are scoundrels with no jobs. Why else would they go threw such hassles, for the cost of a dinner date? No money to begine with. Hackers = no moral, no money.

I met two hackers from the Czech, they were pickpockets too..

Wow how narrow minded you are, I suppose you also think that all hackers look and dress like the child catcher in 'chitty chitty bang bang'

 

[T77]

i completely agree with Ididmyc600.it wont take long for people out their to crack these softwares and thus spread piracy.these software companies really need to lower their prices to enable mass adoption of their genuine products.

 

[Guest]

I can't believe how ignorant many of these comments are. There are open source versions of nearly every type of software. If you don't want to pay for a product, use its open source equivalent. If you think Win7 is expensive then you are free to use Linux at no cost. The reason people pay for software is because it comes with less hassle and help support.

Anyways, to the first poster: Bill Gates stepped down from CEO in 2000, nearly a decade ago! Yes, he is a chairman currently, but that is a completely different game.

 

[jdmba]

Disagree

I am a registered owner of Windows 7 ... but I have yet to install it. Why? Product activation and its limits. It appears that if you swap out your C drive (e.g., you use ghost or acronis to back up your windows 7 system, and then restore to a different C, even of the same size), you will be confronted with a 3 day window to reactivate. You have 3 reactivations before you have to call Microsoft each time ... SO, if you regularly upgrade or swap your C drive, this will get old fast. I am pretty sure a cracked version won't suffer from this.

(Oh and for those who wonder who would swap out their C drives so much, that's easy ... the quality of hard drives today is appalling. Whenever I need to introduce a new drive [I use pullout bays], I make the new drive my C drive. If it doesn't fail before I need to do it again, then it is rotated into a data drive, and loaded up.)

 

[OUTLAWXXX]

They already do that a lot, banking corporations and gov agencies have hired renounced hackers that went to prison and everything. Try to break their **** and then tell them how they did it and what to do about it.

 

[Guest]

Hacking windows will be done. It is quite expensive, particularly for students. How many students do you know who have over $100 just lying around to spend on an OS. That is why I am still using a old XP install. If it was like OSX costing $30 then I would gladly upgrade to 7. And the fact that if anything goes wrong and you have to reinstall multiple times or use virtual drives, then you are paying out a lot of money.

 

[Guest]

who r u the bloody police lol how can u call someone who downloads something they dont want to pay for a thief unless u r a sucker for all the advertising they put out to make ppl think like that! are u? pricing is actually not a week argument at all that is the main reason people download illegally, and how are you going to be using the same os for 8 years try 2 if u really like it. In conclusion get a grip and join the real world hackers and downloaders are as much criminal as you are realistic...

 

[Guest]

Umm I once met a hacker and he was was bad he raped me picked my pocket stole one of my shoes and went muhaha... yes narrow minded I agree, I mean wtf no jobs I mean they r hackers I think they could hack themself a job lmao. Ur just a whiny ***** because u pay for urs andr too much of a pussi to do what u know the logical thing is. I mean look someone offers u 2 bowls of chocolate one costs a pound one costs nothing, but they r the same chocolate and the company which owns them is is making fuking billions. Shimples