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Pirates have found a loophole in the Windows 8 activation chain


anuseems

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The most difficult part of installing and using a pirated copy of Windows 8, apart from making sure that it does not contain any hidden malware, is getting it activated. Each Windows 8 installation requires a unique key, which is different from previous versions of Windows where so called Volume Keys were available and widely distributed.

A loophole has recently been discovered that can activate pirated versions of Windows 8 permanently. The loophole takes advantage of Microsoft’s ongoing Windows Media Center promotion that is giving away free keys for the upgrade to Windows 8 Pro users. So, after installation of Windows 8 Pro on a PC and the activation via KMS, entering the Windows Media Center promo key is all it takes to get the system activated for good.

The Media Center keys are given away for free by Microsoft until January 31, 2013 after which they will be offered for a price. To enter the code in Windows 8 Pro, you search for add features using the new Charms Bar search. A click on Add features to Windows 8, the selection of I already have a product key, and the entering of the product key that Microsoft sent to you is all it takes to activate Windows 8 permanently.

This works because there is no check for the legitimacy of the underlying operating system when the new key is verified and the system turned into Windows 8 Pro with Media Center. The key that is entered in the process is the new product key that Windows uses for activation checks in the future and not the key that was originally entered during installation of the system.

The system is permanently activated after the procedure, which you can verify by opening the activation window which should read “Windows is activated” and no longer “Windows is activated until”.

Below is a screenshot of Windows Activation of a legit Windows 8 Pro system. It also shows the “add features” button.

The big issue for Microsoft is the missing check of the underlying operating system key when the upgrade is being processed. Coupled with an anonymous process to get a key for the Windows Media Center upgrade – all that you need is to enter an email address, any email address – it is almost certain that the method will be exploited heavily in the coming weeks.

Microsoft could prevent that from happening by adding a check for the product key of the underlying system to the upgrade process.

@ http://www.ghacks.net/2012/11/21/pirates-have-found-a-loophole-in-the-windows-8-activation-chain/

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A loophole has recently been discovered that can activate pirated versions of Windows 8 permanently. The loophole takes advantage of Microsoft's ongoing Windows Media Center promotion that is giving away free keys for the upgrade to Windows 8 Pro users. So, after installation of Windows 8 Pro on a PC and the activation via KMS, entering the Windows Media Center promo key is all it takes to get the system activated for good.

LOL, this late publication comes after half the population of nSane have already used the aforesaid method. :lol:
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Okay, I can assure this is a marketing tactic because of the poor sales figures of Windows 8. I have been preaching against upgrading to Windows 8 ever since I first found out the UI was primarily a tablet interface. But I immediately clicked the link and requested my free key. It's something about "free" that most people can't resist I guess.

I actually believe that the only way Windows 8 can succeed at this point is by giving it away for free. Other than nerds who can't resist the lure of new technology most people have not be convincing that upgrading to a new OS that boots 3 nanoseconds faster than the previous operating system is worth enduring the catastrophic interface that one must use the "other" 99.9% of the time that people aren't "booting". I am one which falls into that category.

I can't stand Windows 8 yet I just requested my "free" key. My defense be temporary insanity. I still don't feel like bothering with a brand-new operating system upgrade at this point. Even if it is better under the hood(that part I wont dispute) Windows 7 is good enough. So why put myself through the pain. My gut still tells me just to kick back for years, wait for Windows 9. Microsoft will hopefully give "everybody" what they want next time around and not just tablet users.

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Okay, I can assure this is a marketing tactic because of the poor sales figures of Windows 8. I have been preaching against upgrading to Windows 8 ever since I first found out the UI was primarily a tablet interface. But I immediately clicked the link and requested my free key. It's something about "free" that most people can't resist I guess.

You have a really good point there.

Other than nerds who can't resist the lure of new technology most people have not

That's also another compelling point - especially for a :pirate:

upgrading to a new OS that boots 3 nanoseconds faster than the previous operating system is worth enduring the catastrophic interface that one must use the "other" 99.9% of the time that people aren't "booting". I am one which falls into that category.

That unfortunately, is where 99% of Users and would-be-Users stand. :(

Windows 8 is not just about a swifter startup - it does have a lot more to tweak under it's hood.

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no used loophole for making an OS permanent ever lasts. you can be 100% legal and they system will ask you to recheck.

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