“Hackers are distributing a file that they say lets users of the corporate version of Microsoft’s Windows Vista operating system get around the software’s anti-piracy mechanisms,” Nancy Gohring reports for IDG News.
Gohring reports, “Windows Vista must be ‘activated,’ or authorized by Microsoft, before it will work on a particular machine. To simplify the task of activating many copies of Vista, Microsoft offers corporate users special tools, among them Key Management Service (KMS), which allows a company to run a Microsoft-supplied authorization server on its own network and activate Vista without contacting Microsoft for each copy.”
“The software Microsoft.Windows.Vista.Local.Activation.Server-MelindaGates lets users spoof that KMS process, allowing them to activate copies of the enterprise editions of Vista, its creators say. The hacked download is available online on sites including The Pirate Bay and other file sharing sites,” Gohring reports.
Full article here.
Related article:
Microsoft’s Windows Vista will limit reinstall to one time and one time only – October 13, 2006
MS: 0
HAckers: +34
Seems that Microsoft needs to hire these hackers. These folks know more about the inner workings of Windows than the programmers in Redmond.
It seems kind of low to publish in the article where to get the hack… even a working link right to it, no less. I would think yahoo would have more class than that.
It should be made clear this affects Volume Licensing. Don’t paint the picture too rosy, MDN.
it’s pretty rosy already.
Now Piratebay will get more traffic, which could be a good thing so we can get some more seeders. Been light as of late on the goodies.
MDNW: Anti as in “I am anti anti-piratebay”
I’m sure MDN would like it if a hack was posted to spoof their ad click through’s to 0. No difference. Just because you don’t like a companies stupid policy doesn’t give you the right to steal. Lame – at least take down the link and reference to the site.
we’re gonna sue MDN’s ass.
And this is the most secure version of Windows ever…?
MDN! Come on man… don’t be like that.. you let all people know about out weekness.. that’s not nice.
Why would I want to get a Vista running? Get Crossover and be done with that you need to run. Soon all you need will be running native on Leopard.
I agree – it is as classless for MDN to post the article as Yahoo to proliferate it. Another poor example of MDN losing it’s credibility .
All MDN did was to link the Yahoo story so that we would hav e full context. It’s Yahoo who has the link to the hack.
Are we supposed to be suprised at this?
WOW,
And the PC WORLD waited for this. And they still don’t learn. WOW
MDN never had credibility.
Yahoo linked to
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,128115-page,1/article.html
So shame on PC WORLD for that pirate link.
Dear Whingers,
MDN is merely performing its due journalistic service to us. Please cry more to Daddy Blly and Fester the Wonderchimp, your tears taste like sweet cream.
Don’t shoot the messengers, you retards:
http://news.google.com/news?client=safari&rls=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&tab=wn&q=Vista+Hacked&scoring=d
Actually I’m surprised that people expect unbiased info from MDN. It’s a pro-Mac news site. I’m surprised that we even get a heads up on stories about exploits that are supposedly linked to Quicktime through some bassackwards way. If you want unbiased news then go to sleep and keep on dreaming. Or you can search all the sites and make up your own mind. I don’t expect MDN to praise Microsoft, or even do anything that is beneficial. In this case they didn’t even link directly to the hack.
This story has been published, as well as the piratebay link on several other sites. And honestly it takes all of about .32milliseconds for google to point to the link.
What is ironic, is that Vista was MS’s answer to pirating, and what 8 days after its enterprise release, the enterprise version licensing has been cracked. I take no joy in seeing this happening. It just leaves me with the feeling as to why on earth anyone would trust their sensitive data to anything MS? They can’t even protect their own OS from license pirates with the most restrictive DRM’d version of an OS ever created.
MS is beyond “becomming” irrelevant. They already are, people (IT departments, etc), en-masse, are finally waking up to that fact that they can no longer say: “Well nobody ever got fired for using Microsoft.”
zac
Microsoft might have at least had the decency to release this turkey in time for Thanskgiving. No wonder the natives are so eager to gobble it up.
If they can hack around THAT, you know damn well, that there are many, many, more hackable things in Vista.
Here is my theory on Apple not attempting the lock down of the OS,
I’ve always doubted if Apple really cares if it’s OS is pirated to run on a Mac because who ever steals it will STILL need an Apple Computer to run it on! It’s a win-win.
Scenario example:
Person priates a newer OS operating to load on an older computer that came with an earlier OS installed. Person steals the OS, loves the upgrade but the old computer power is sluggish, which causes the user (who’s now addicted to the new OS apps, etc.) starts craving an upgrade to a new Mac that runs the OS and all it’s newer apps better. A BIGGER SALE. I’ve seen this theory proven in the wild ; ) Esp. with switchers who bought a cheap used Mac off e-bay to see if they liked Macs.
M$ can’t use Winduhs or Vista as bait to sell a newer, faster, better computer.
What relevance does a hack on Vista have to Apple? This site is little more than a thinly disguised schoolboy pissing contest. It’s the Fox News of the computing press.
MacRaven: Your insight is astounding.