Posted on 06/07/2006 7:44:21 PM PDT by zeugma
SEATTLE - Microsoft Corp. acknowledged Wednesday that it needs to better inform users that its tool for determining whether a computer is running a pirated copy of Windows also quietly checks in daily with the software maker.
The company said the undisclosed daily check is a safety measure designed to allow the tool, called Windows Genuine Advantage, to quickly shut down in case of a malfunction. For example, if the company suddenly started seeing a rash of reports that Windows copies were pirated, it might want to shut down the program to make sure it wasn't delivering false results.
"It's kind of a safety switch," said David Lazar, who directs the Windows Genuine Advantage program.
Lazar said the company added the safety measure because the piracy check, despite widespread distribution, is still a pilot program. He said the company was worried that it might have an unforeseen emergency that would require the program to terminate quickly.
But he acknowledged that Microsoft should have given users more information about the daily interactions.
"We're looking at ways to communicate that in a more forward manner," he said.
Lazar also said the company plans to tweak the program soon so that it will only check in with Microsoft every two weeks, rather than daily.
The tool, part of the Redmond company's bid to thwart widespread piracy, is being distributed gradually to people who have signed up to receive Windows security updates. The company expects to have offered it to all users worldwide by the end of the year.
Lazar said that so far, about 60 percent of users who were offered the piracy check decided to install it. Once installed, the program checks to make sure the version of Windows a user is running is legitimate, and gathers information such as the computer's manufacturer and the language and locale it is set for.
That information-gathering is disclosed in a licensing agreement. But the agreement does not make clear that the program also is designed to "call home" to Microsoft's servers, to make sure that it should keep running.
At least every 90 days, the tool also checks again to see if the copy of Windows is legitimate. Lazar said that's because the company sometimes discovers that a copy of Windows that it thought was legitimate is actually pirated.
When Microsoft believes a copy of Windows is pirated, the user begins to get a series of reminders that the copy isn't genuine. Such users also are barred from downloading noncritical updates, such as the new version of its Internet Explorer browser. But anyone who has signed up to automatically receive security updates, which repair flaws to prevent Internet attacks, will still get those fixes.
Lauren Weinstein, who is co-founder of People for Internet Responsibility and was one of the first people to notice the daily communications to Microsoft, said he understands and sympathizes with Microsoft's desire to control piracy. But he said it's problematic that Microsoft did not disclose all the program's communications with the company.
Weinstein said he also was surprised that Microsoft decided to release so widely a tool that it says is in a "pilot" mode and might need to be suddenly shut down.
"Really what you're talking about is someone saying, 'Look we've put something on your computer and it might go screwy, so we're going to kind of check in every day,'" he said.
Ping. You might be interested in this.
And I thought it was MY computer! Silly me.
The DOS command route -p add 207.46.0.0 mask 255.255.0.0 [192.168.0.254] (replace the address in brackets with a random address on your current subnet) will permanently route all would-be "phone home" packets to the random address that you specified.
Oh yeah an FYI... if you run ZoneAlarm or some other application level firewall, the executable file to that will be trying to call home is "WgaTray.exe"
Probably simpler to rename that file, or block it, if you don't want to route the packets.
Of course Apple sues and put all clone makers out of buiness. Is there some point being made here about Microsoft's right not to provide online updates to users of stolen software?
And the last post... I promise.
If you want something Windows does to REALLY worry about, this isn't it.
This is: http://web.archive.org/web/20050323094149/http://www.hevanet.com/peace/microsoft.htm
Windows 98 does not connect to Microsoft's computers. Microsoft Windows 98 connects to Microsoft's computers only by user request.
Windows XP connects with Microsoft's computers and expects to be allowed through the user's firewall in many new ways. Each user has a responsibility to control what goes in and out of his or her computer. Microsoft's new networking arrangements make this difficult. Here is a (probably incomplete) list of ways Windows XP tries to connect each user's computer to Microsoft's computers, or expects to be allowed through the user's software firewall:
Application Layer Gateway Service (Requires server rights. "Server rights" means that this Microsoft software inside your computer can set up an arrangement that allows other computers to control it.)
Fax Service
File Signature Verification
Generic Host Process for Win32 Services (Requires server rights.)
Microsoft Direct Play Voice Test
Microsoft Help and Support Center (If you don't stop it, using "Help and Support" notifies Microsoft of the subject of your search.)
Microsoft Help Center Hosting Server (Wants server rights.)
Microsoft Management Console
Microsoft Media Player (Tells Microsoft the music and videos you like. See the February 20, 2002 Security Focus article Why is Microsoft watching us watch DVD movies? [securityfocus.com].)
Microsoft Network Availability Test
Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service
Microsoft Windows Media Configuration Utility (Setup_wm.exe, sometimes runs when you use Windows Media Player.)
MS DTC Console program
Run DLL as an app (There is no indication about which DLL or which function in the DLL.)
Services and Controller app
Time Service, sets the time on your computer from Microsoft's computer. (This can be changed to get the time from another time server.)
creepy
They're all good posts, don't quit yet.
I install it on every XP load that I do.
It just makes sense.
The problem is, that users were not notified that the software would be phoning home on a daily basis. Of course, anyone who has watched Microsoft for long enough would not be suprised at all by their Big Brother techniques.
It's one reason (among many) that I don't use their software, legal or otherwise.
That's a cool tool. Never heard of it before. I'll pass it around. Thanks!
OK, fair enough, but users are notified that the purpose of the software is to detect illicit copies of Microsoft products.
Second, the software is not installed automatically, and it is not required to get security updates. It is required to get freebies like anti-spyware.
So thats why my Zone Alarm pops up with this thing every darn day.
Well, all my MS progs are legit, but they coulda just checked once and stoped at that.
I've used that before, it works rather well.
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