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Microsoft going back to the drawing board with Windows Genuine Advantage

By Derek Sooman

On August 9, 2005, 9:38 AM

Windows Genuine Advantage, the system introduced by Microsoft to try and stop illegal, pirated versions of Windows from receiving updates has been, as we have heard, hit by several snags. Last week, Microsoft launched an investigation after details were posted on the internet of how to get around WGA by pasting a JavaScript string into the web browser, and yesterday we reported that several websites were publicising another way of bypassing the technology. Now, it looks like Microsoft is going back to the drawing board with the technology, until it can come up with something more hack-proof.

Within a few hours of WIG going into action hackers had torn it apart using a fairly simple hack. This was transmitted across the Interweb and made the whole thing useless.

A Microsoft spinster told the Sydney Morning Herald this morning that Vole had sent its designers back to the drawing board on WIG.

However, he added that WIG was not designed to catch counterfeiters or prevent hacks anyway.

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3 comments

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  1. August 9, 2005 12:01 PM
    Mictlantecuhtli said:
    [quote]However, he added that WIG was not designed to catch counterfeiters or prevent hacks anyway.[/quote]What was it (designed) for, then?
    Reply
  2. August 9, 2005 12:35 PM
    Soul Harvester said:
    [b]Originally posted by Mictlantecuhtli:[/b][quote][quote]However, he added that WIG was not designed to catch counterfeiters or prevent hacks anyway.[/quote]What was it (designed) for, then?[/quote]Apparently, it was designed to let "victimized consumers" be aware that they had unknowningly be using pirated software, and to hopefully have them 1) Purchase a legit license (potentially at a discount)2) Identify vendors selling illegal copiesBut wait a second, isn't that counterfeiting?Looks like somebody doesn't know who they work for anymore
    Reply
  3. August 9, 2005 1:36 PM
    Phantasm66 said:
    You have all missed the point. The point of WGA was to show how totally insecure Microsoft software is
    Reply

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