Hackers bypass Windows 7 remote activation requirement with software workaround
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Instead of the more traditional BIOS loader or OEM BIOS methods, digital pirates have rolled out a software-based way to circumvent Windows 7's required online activation, making it easier to use stolen copies of Microsoft's new OS.
Several tools are available online, with the most popular being RemoveWAT (meaning "Windows Activation Technology") and Chew-WGA, according to My Digital Life. Both of these utilities use various means to accomplish the same end; removing or blacklisting the files that Windows uses to start the activation process.
My Digital Life reports that the workarounds were made possible by Microsoft's less strict security settings in Windows 7, which were put in place to cut down on false positives and reduce installation headaches for users. Windows Vista, which featured more active security measures, was never permanently cracked.
Windows 7's security features have drawn mixed reviews, with most praising the removal of Vista's intrusive User Account Control features, but some arguing that the OS is less safe than its predecessors precisely because UAC is less ubiquitous.
Related News:
Cyber criminals target web security through PDFs again - 3.17.2010
Earlier this year, Adobe released a security update to patch a hole that cyber criminals exploited to upload malware onto the computers of unsuspecting users. However, Marian Radu, a web security researher for Microsoft recently announced on his blog that he had discovered a similar vulnerability.
Web security a growing issue for local governments - 3.16.2010
As though local school districts and governments didn't have enough to worry about, cyber criminals have targeted small public institutions and have stolen millions of dollars.
Web security ends with user - 3.16.2010
No matter how potent an antivirus software or other web security program is, the most important step in defending a computer from malware is vigilance on the part of the user, according to business technology news site Katonda.
Mac users may soon be under attack - 3.16.2010
People buy Macs because they think they don't have to worry about web security. However, according to ZDNet, ransomware and other dangerous forms of malware may soon be a very real problem for Mac users, as cyber criminals begin to understand the best ways to compromise the rapidly growing brand's products.
Forty percent of malware sites hosted in the U.S. - 3.16.2010
While popular opinion dictates that malware often originates in countries like China and Eastern European nations, AVG Technologies recently reported that 40 percent of malware originates on servers hosted within the U.S.
|
