[Not So] Crazy - Redmond to Protect Pirated and Legit Window 7 Copies
Posted 04/30/09 at 02:54:01 PM by Mark Edward Soper
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Softpedia reports that pirated copies of Windows 7 will be provided with security updates, update rollups, and even service packs. What is Microsoft thinking? Is Redmond promoting piracy?
The idea of providing security and other updates to pirated copies as well as legit copies of Windows might seem crazy, but here's the reasoning, straight from Paul Cooke, director of Windows Client Enterprise Security:
Keeping a machine up to date is one of the first steps in helping ensure that they remain reliable, compatible, and safe from threats when they are online. Some of the most famous incidents of malicious software infection have come after security updates were publicly available from Microsoft - Blaster, Zotob, Conficker and Sasser, just to name a few. Rest assured that we at Microsoft are committed to making sure that security updates are available to all of our users to help ensure a safe online experience for everyone.
Note that Cooke is laying the blame for many recent security problems where it belongs: on users and companies who will not upgrade their software to block such threats. By continuing the recent policy of allowing users of non-genuine Windows to receive security updates, Microsoft is saying, in effect, 'don't blame us if unpatched systems are compromised.'
However, don't think that Redmond's turning a patched eye to either casual piracy or software counterfeiting. Pirated copies of Windows 7 won't be eligible for some of Microsoft's goodies, and Softpedia points out that counterfeit copies of Windows often come with a "free" bonus: malware.
For your chance to sound off on security for software pirates, hit Comment.
The issue isn't people
Submitted by Xerloq on Fri, 05/01/2009 - 6:56am
This was supposed to be a reply to winmasters comment below.
If someone is running a pirated copy of Windows, and Microsoft
discovers this, they should be locked out of your computer. They should
make it stop halfway through the boot process and say:You are a dick for pirating software. Either pay up and enter a VALAD license or reformat and install linux, fucker.
That way, it won't matter if you are patched because you won't be able to use your computer anyway.
The issue isn't people downloading from torrents, it's OEMs and other system builders who don't properly license the OSes. How do you tell the difference bewteen an actual stolen copy, and a copy where the OEM didn't properly apply the license? Both appear to be pirated machines to Microsoft's activation servers, but the former case is illegal and the latter is just laziness - but instead of punishing the lazy person (the OEM) you want to hurt the unsuspecting user, and rudely, too.
Submitted by Grandpa on Thu, 04/30/2009 - 7:37pm
If Microsoft would make an operating system worth buying maybe more people would pay for it! Who wants to pay for an operating system crippled with a DRM infestation, hacked by the federal government, and one that will only be supported a few years. Some day someone will come out with what we want and Microsoft will be filing for bankrupsy protection like the US automakers.
Microsoft Windows has enough
Submitted by MAXPCreader07 on Thu, 04/30/2009 - 7:55pm
Microsoft Windows has enough of a marketshare that they probably don't care about the remaining percentage.
"You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time."
Submitted by periodhyphenund... on Thu, 04/30/2009 - 4:51pm
...will be forced to repeat it!
Microsoft did the same thing for XP a few years back.
First they promise to allow Pirated Copies to be updated, then they find out who you are and inform you that you are using an illegal version and then they prevent you from getting the updates that they promised in the first place!
How stupid are you people anyway?
Microsoft is like a drug pusher
Submitted by Svetty Parabols on Thu, 04/30/2009 - 2:41pm
They could have made all their software pirate proof years ago. You morons really think they are that dumb? Piracy was the best business model for Microsoft. Get everyone hooked on the OS then make money selling the other software. Use a little logic..if piracy has or had actually hurt Microsoft..we all would be using Linux.
They did something like this
Submitted by I Jedi on Thu, 04/30/2009 - 2:12pm
They did something like this not too long ago with Windows XP. Where the whole screen went entirely black for pirated copies of Windows XP users who had updated their O.S. pack.
Submitted by schmitty6633 on Thu, 04/30/2009 - 2:07pm
1 Solution: Keep better track of valid licsence keys and make the os crackproof.
What is Microsoft thinking?
Submitted by winmaster on Thu, 04/30/2009 - 1:55pm
If someone is running a pirated copy of Windows, and Microsoft discovers this, they should be locked out of your computer. They should make it stop halfway through the boot process and say:
You are a dick for pirating software. Either pay up and enter a VALAD license or reformat and install linux, fucker.
That way, it won't matter if you are patched because you won't be able to use your computer anyway.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
I agree w/ you alittle, but
Submitted by Marsel on Thu, 04/30/2009 - 2:13pm
I agree w/ you alittle, but some people who have authentic copies might be targeted by this, as a result of some mistake, or if somebody simply stole their serial code and registered it befroe teh authenitic copy owners did.
ps. valid is spelled V-A-L-I-D not V-A-L-A-D
That's Right. YOU GOT PoWNeD! (not)
Proud owner of a Sony NS laptop, Jailbroken Ipod Touch 2g.
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Submitted by winmaster on Mon, 05/25/2009 - 4:16pm
How do you know I am typing in English and not my own language. Thats right, you don't.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
Submitted by StahnAileron on Thu, 04/30/2009 - 12:40pm
I agree: any un-patched system is just another easy target for worms and trojans.
Most stuff that infects PCs today don't render the PC useless/in-operable, they just let someone take remote control of it for other uses.
MS has their reasons for making this decision, and I more or less agree: each patched, up-to-date system is one less system that someone can use to hack/infect another system. I'd rather have millions of patched PCs running pirated OSes instead of millions of unpatched zombie PCs.
I don't like pirating, but gotta live with the fact that it exists and do what's better for the greater overall good...
Submitted by I Jedi on Thu, 04/30/2009 - 2:14pm
You assume businesses look out for the wellfare of their customers, yes?
Submitted by schmitty6633 on Thu, 04/30/2009 - 12:37pm
I think Microsoft shoud purposefully give pirated copies deactivator updates that put a countdown on the os till they can pay online to keep it activated :)
Submitted by habuza on Thu, 04/30/2009 - 12:35pm
high and mighty because you shelled out 300$ for overpriced crapware from Microsoft. The ONLY reason, and I stress, ONLY, is that it plays my games. I still use XP, will NOT touch shitsta with a 50' pole. Windows 7 looks great except for the price tag. So when the next round of open beta comes around I'm snagging a copy of it.
Submitted by strykyr on Thu, 04/30/2009 - 1:16pm
You are an ID10T. Vista works fine. You are obviously just too stupid to understand it. Reading is fundamental.
Please don't feed the
Submitted by Pentium 0 on Thu, 04/30/2009 - 3:09pm
Please don't feed the TROLLS.
Submitted by habuza on Thu, 04/30/2009 - 1:27pm
Kiss my ass fanboy. Vista runs like shit and is irritating as all hell.
Submitted by strykyr on Thu, 04/30/2009 - 7:10pm
lol. Ur still an ID10T.
Submitted by schmitty6633 on Thu, 04/30/2009 - 2:05pm
Lets face it, vista is the current os. It may not run as you like but it is as stable as ever and is as good as xp
Submitted by Rob86 on Thu, 04/30/2009 - 3:33pm
i have to aggree. although vista was a little F'ed on launch (drivers, stability, etc) but now i dont really have any problems with it, and i would bet that sp2 will make it even better.
Dumb
Submitted by LordPyro on Thu, 04/30/2009 - 12:10pm
I think this is stupid, Microsoft should let everyone who pirates their OP to
get nice and infected with everything, preferably until the point that their
computers can no longer function.
Submitted by MAXPCreader07 on Thu, 04/30/2009 - 12:25pm
But then the pirated machines can spread the infection to other computers, and it makes the overall malware situation worse.
Submitted by schmitty6633 on Thu, 04/30/2009 - 12:39pm
That is what updates are for smartass. There will be updates not offered to the pirated copies but will be to the legit ones
The problem is, you can't
Submitted by jcollins on Thu, 04/30/2009 - 1:20pm
The problem is, you can't predict what those infected Windows copies will do (DDOS Windows Update sites for example). Until they are fixed, they are always going to be a problem.
Submitted by neo1piv14 on Thu, 04/30/2009 - 12:56pm
Of course it isn't MS's responsibility to make sure that people who pirate their stuff get off scott free, but at the same time, if I have a pirated OS that's all infected and owned, all they'll see is a crashed Windows machine. They won't see my lack of updates. I really think MS is just doing this as more of a public image kind of thing.
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