Microsoft Begins New Piracy Restrictions

Originally Posted by TorrentSpy.com

Hackers bust Microsoft's anti-piracy system

Hackers found a way around Microsoft's Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) anti-piracy system last week, only a day after the system went into effect.

WGA requires Windows users to verify they are using a genuine copy of Windows before they are allowed to download certain software updates. Security patches aren't covered by the system, and remain available to any Windows user, legitimate or not.

The system asks users to download an ActiveX control, which scans Windows to determine whether it is legitimate. If the software checks out, the control installs a key allowing future downloads. The system went into place on Monday.

But by Tuesday, a simple JavaScript hack was already circulating, it emerged late last week. All users had to do was paste a JavaScript URL into the Internet Explorer browser window at the beginning of the process; this turned off the key check, according to users.

Originally Posted by TorrentSpy.com

Method 1:

Before pressing 'Custom' or 'Express' buttons paste this text to the address bar and press enter:
javascript:void(window.g_sDisableWGACheck='all')

It turns off the trigger for the key check.

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Method 2:

install WGA
in directory C:\documents and settings\all users\application data\Windows Genuine Advantage\data\
make file data.dat as read-only

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Method 3:

For Internet Explorer users:

You'll need to download trixie and the relevant user script [Thanks Mark S., MacMonkey]. Simply download the .js file and drop it into trixie's scripts\ folder.

Fire up Internet Explorer (32-bit) and click Tools > Trixie Options. You should see WGA Workaround. If it's not already checked, check it. Uncheck the others if you don't want to use them (recommended).

Visit Microsoft Downloads or Microsoft Update to test it out!

I use method one.

Give them time. It could very well be possible for them to do as Redhat did in protecting their software updates. I am not a hardcore linux geek, but from what I understand, M$ could use a similar method of releasing updates that would make downloading their updates much more difficult.