NEWS: Windows Genuine Advantage - Hacked Within A Day Of Release

A day after Windows Genuine Advantage system was released, which requires Microsoft users to verify for genuine copies of the Windows operating systems such as XP along with the next operating system by Microsoft, Wndows Vista, hackers have found a way around it. The system works through windows updates, and asks users to download an ActiveX control which allows users to download some of the fixes and sevice packs for their windows operating systems.



The system was released Monday and Tuesday a simple (_javascript) hack was circulated worldwide in order to circumvent the process and still allow the important downloads.

This is not the only way hackers have found around the WGA, there are many other hacks circulating and none of them are very difficult to perform. At the same time hacked and illegal copies of Windows Vista Beta1 are already circulating freely around the underground sites.

Once again as soon as something is released, hackers find their way around it. What is so amazing this time is that it is so simple and so quick after the release. It should have been tested before release by "hackers" or people employed to find such security flaws. It makes the whole release a farce and will end up costing the end user much more.


[edit on 1-8-2005 by Mayet]

What does this have to do with Windows Longhorn/Vista?

Nothing. Remove mention of Vista from the title please.

Its supposed to be an integral part of Longhorn/Vista's marketing program. Only verified users can use it, completely traceable and all that.

No this has nothing to do with vista, vista is written from the ground up with security in mind, completely new kernals

The WGA is just a new part and authentication method of Windowsupdate.

WGF is whats the new core part of Windows Vista. Hard to hack it since its nothing more then the new graphics kernel.

My personal opinion is that everything should be "hackable"

if someone takes the time to get to know something so well their able to utilize it without paying for it, they deserve to.

This shouldn't be done out of respect for companies who arn't making many millions of dollars though.

I'll continue to pay for my windows products, that are faulty and cumbersome until such times as I find myself with nothing left to do but to learn how to "crack" them

I have said it once and I'll say it again the only reason windows is so prevelant (the budwizer of OS) is because they have flooded the market with it, not because it is any good. I have had windows systems, and I have Macs and I would never go back to windows.

Actualy, everything shouldn't be hackable, but it always will be since the compilers, code cleaners, standards and the code itself are writen by human beings and human beings aren't perfect and without error.

And for MS being bad and only being good because they flood the market, can't really agree with that, I've worked with about every OS there is and all of them have their own fields of use and expertise.

I run nearly all server related applications on either Unix or Linux(depending on what the budget allows) but for a desktop OS Windows takes the lead still.

Originally posted by picard_is_actually_a_grey
No this has nothing to do with vista, vista is written from the ground up with security in mind, completely new kernals

Indirectly it does. In order to upgrade you will need to prove your current operating system is a licensed copy or you will not be allowed to upgrade.

Everything is crackable always has been and always will be.

The sad thing is the cost of software companies spend having copy (or other type of protection) protection on their software.

They know,we know that after the release of their program someone is bound to crack it.

Solution, the companies should stop spending money on copy (or other type of protection) protection, and spend the money they have saved on something else,like microsoft could employ more people to focus on all the feckin bugs and errors windows and all the other software they have and sort them out!

This isn’t really a hack of windows per say and has no real security issues, since the hack is put on by the user (granted hackers could use this to gain access to people try to hack the update site) and is intended to get around a very simple ActiveX control that downloads and installs updates, which in itself may use Jscript or ASP. Windows figured if it can get 50% of the people to be legit (I am sure the percentage is much higher) then it’s a plus for them and a good test for future updates on the new system. I think they know the people running the illegal versions are going to be the ones hacking it.

One interesting thing to note is according to David Pogue in Mac OS X, The Missing Maunal, Tiger edition, that once mac's start sporting intel chips, you will be able to open and run windows on your mac, but because the core parts of OS X are actually phusically etched onto the chips, windows systems will not be able to open Mac programs....he goes on to say that all this will be mote anyway because programers will finally be forced into writing universal codes so that all programs will be able to be run on both. I have a couple that do that already but they are few and far between.

Originally posted by grover
I have said it once and I'll say it again the only reason windows is so prevelant (the budwizer of OS) is because they have flooded the market with it, not because it is any good. I have had windows systems, and I have Macs and I would never go back to windows.

I'll second that. This story doesn't surprise me at all. Windows doesn't think ahead of their times, and are always playing defensively, albiet strongly. If you've got a boxed-in mindset you're doomed to have this sort of problem. Just reading about the system, it sounds unreliable from the start.

I truly don't think this poses much of a problem for M$ at all. I doubt anyone can honestly claim they'll go bankrupt because of people pirating copies windows OS's. If this system were being used as a copy-protection scheme for a bunch of independent developers or small operations, that'd be different. M$ could start giving away their OS for free and they'd still be raking it in hand-over-fist from their other products. Hell, if they did that and then converted all of their other products to Windows-only platforms, they'd probably have an even better deal going.

As far as Windows being a great desktop OS, that's because they flooded the market. As a software developer, I'm going to be more willing to spend my time and money developing a product for a system that covers 80%-90% of all home computers. Gives me a bigger market. And so are a good majority of the other development companies. Ergo, more products developed solely for Windows, which through competition translates into better support, better products (theoretically, at least), and more demand for the OS. The only reason other platforms don't perform as well as desktop computers is because there isn't enough of a demand for software for them.

That's also probably 95% of the reason there's hacks out like this for Windows. Not because people actually want the OS itself, but because they want the OS so they can run the other programs they'll need. If people just wanted a free operating system, there's quite a number of Linux distros out completely free of charge, and much, much more stable and efficient than anything Microsoft will throw out.

The reason why MS is being hacked (EASIER) is because it is (closed source code) used by most beginning and mid range folk on planet Earth.

MicroSoft still thinks the people that use the companies' software are in the 80's.

MS just cant give up their reasoning behind this thought: MONEY!

Open source is the only way to go now that cyberspace spans so far into peoples lives.

There are much smarter people out there now than there were 10 years ago. Ten year olds can now bring down 95-98, etc... It's the thrill that makes them do this.

Open it up and the thrill and the MONEY is gone!