Removing “Annoying” Windows 10 Features is a DMCA Violation, Microsoft Says

[Matrix]

 

Ninjutsu OS, a new software tool that heavily modifies Windows 10 with a huge number of tweaks, mods and extra tools, has been hit with a DMCA complaint by Microsoft. According to the copyright notice, the customizing, tweaking and disabling of Windows 10 features, even when that improves privacy, amounts to a violation of Microsoft's software license.

 

 

Since Windows was first released, people have been modifying variants of the world-famous operating system to better fit their individual requirements.

 

Many of these tweaks can be carried out using tools provided within the software itself but the recently-released Ninjutsu OS aims to take Windows 10 modding to a whole new level.

 

Released on May 7, Ninjutsu OS claims to take Windows 10 and transform it into a penetration testing powerhouse, adding huge numbers of tools (around 800) aimed at security experts, a few for regular users (qBitTorrent and Tor Browser, for example) while also removing features considered unwanted or unneeded in such an environment.

Designed for Information Security Beginners

“I created this project to help beginners and students in the field of information security. As you know it is very difficult for beginners to build Windows and install all the tools and install libraries for some of the programs that you need in the field of information security,” Ninjutsu creator ‘Hasan’ informs TF.

 

As the image below shows, Ninjutsu’s appearance is striking and is likely to appeal to the target audience.

 

 

From June 6, 2020, the project was hosted on Github but according to a DMCA complaint filed by the Business Software Alliance (BSA) on behalf of Microsoft, Ninjutsu OS violates Microsoft’s copyrights.

 

“BSA has determined that GitHub.com (specifically, content made available on GitHub through the link listed below) is providing access to copyrighted, nonpublic, proprietary information of our member Microsoft,” the complaint reads.

 

“The link leads to copyrighted material pertaining to Microsoft. Specifically, the copyrighted material in question can be found at the following link: https://github.com/ninjutsu-project/ninjutsu-project.github.io.”

Disabling Windows 10 Features is a License Breach, Claim States

While that link to the project has now been taken down by Github (Hasan insists that the page “does not contain any violation of Microsoft’s rights”), the complaint goes on to highlight several features of Ninjutsu OS that are claimed to be infringing.

 

As advertised and specifically highlighted by BSA/Microsoft they are:

 

– Customize Windows 10 with powerful tweak and optimize.

– Protect your privacy by tweak and customize Windows 10.

– Disable many of the annoying features built into Windows.

– Unwanted Windows components removal.

– Remove/Disable many Windows programs and services.

 

According to the complaint, the above actions by Ninjutsu OS as mentioned on its Github page provide a “work around technical restrictions of the software”, something which supposedly violates Microsoft’s software license terms.

 

 

“As such, we request that you please act expeditiously to remove or disable access to the specific pages/links described above, and thereby prevent the illegal reproduction and distribution of Microsoft content, via your company’s network, pursuant to 17 U.S.C. §512(d),” the DMCA complaint adds.

 

At first view, some may conclude that Ninjutsu OS amounts to a heavily modified yet pirated version of Windows 10. However, a video explaining how the software works suggests that users will actually need their own license for a genuine copy of Windows 10 to get the modifications up and running properly. Ninjutsu’s creator informs TF that’s indeed the case.

Other Tools Used to Tweak Windows 10, Developer says

There may be workarounds, of course, but BSA/Microsoft’s complaint appears to be centered around the unauthorized tweaking or wholesale removal/disabling of Windows 10 components, rather than copying its content. While there may be more going on here, at no point during the complaint does it provide details on which Microsoft content has been reproduced.

 

Ninjutsu’s developer informs us that the ability to tweak, disable or remove features in Windows 10 is carried out using two tools – Win10-Initial-Setup-Script and O&O ShutUp10, with the latter billing itself as a tool allowing users to “decide how Windows 10 should respect your privacy by deciding which unwanted functions should be deactivated.”

 

At the time of writing Ninjutsu’s Patreon page is still functional but a link to download the tool using torrents via Yandex hosting is now down and displaying a ‘Link Blocked‘ message.

 

 Source

[zanderthunder]

1 hour ago, Mach1 said:

Ninjutsu’s developer informs us that the ability to tweak, disable or remove features in Windows 10 is carried out using two tools – Win10-Initial-Setup-Script and O&O ShutUp10, with the latter billing itself as a tool allowing users to “decide how Windows 10 should respect your privacy by deciding which unwanted functions should be deactivated.

So does the two legit tools also violates DMCA? If it does, then why don't target the developers of these tools?
 

1 hour ago, Mach1 said:

but BSA/Microsoft’s complaint appears to be centered around the unauthorized tweaking or wholesale removal/disabling of Windows 10 components, rather than copying its content.

And BSA and Microsoft's reasoning looks absurd to me.

[steven36]

I'm glad I use Linux were  I  really own my OS to do as please with no wonder Linux Marketshare is at a all time high this year witch is not very high still too many people holding out on Windows XP Windows 7 and windows 8.1 ,  So now there going after tools that been being made to give you part of your privacy back they been making  tools like these every since  2001 XP-AntiSpy.

 

Quote

Microsoft's Windows XP operating system was not universally loved when it came first out as it was criticized by part of its user base for phone home functionality and other invasive features.  While those pale in comparison to Windows 10, the criticism brought along with it a first batch of privacy tools aimed at disabling spy-features in the operating system.

https://www.ghacks.net/2015/11/18/xp-antispy-comback-for-windows-10/

 

They already killed free open source Theming Tools  people use on Windows 7 and 8.1 thats also illegal  to change the look of it by pushing out updates so much and breaking them people stop updating the tools so your stuck having to use Windows store themes   or use Windows Blinds that  bought permission to  change the look of it  .  Great post brother Mach1 this should be a wake up call to people who use close source OS but it want be, look all the crap Apple tries to do to keep people from moding  it but still Apple is a better choice because you have better privacy but still not good enough  .  Microsoft going after the tools that stop them from collecting data but not going after tools to activate it shows  your data is worth more to them than buying it is.

[steven36]

After I read more about the reason this guy got popped was not because he made a tool to modify windows 10 . It's because he made a modified windows 10 image .

 

 

The biggest  caveat about making tools to  do it yourself is Windows upgrades . 6 months    or year latter  your tool may not even work on the latest version  of Windows  because they removed  the  feature to change it. You do all  that work to get windows 10 the way you want then they come along break it with upgrades because Windows 10 versions is not supported  but 18 months to consumers and they push out upgrades long before that unless  something wrong to prevent  it  were they blacklist the upgrade. That why i don't use windows 10 anymore it way harder  to maintain  than Linux  . I set my  Linux and Windows 8.1up years  ago and never had to tweak it since. windows 8.1 had the same problem when  it was new  but  after they made windows 10  they stop pushing out new features to change  things in windows 8.1 so nothing has broke in it in years. When you edit something  yourself that's tweaking when  you share it already compiled in a iso   of a closed source OS  that's piracy .

 

Its like I circumvented  activation on all my Windows 8.1 OS and  it was legal once you use windows 10 past a certain amount of days  there is no way to restore it . Windows 8.1 OEM dont come with a key you can see  with the naked  eye it's hidden in the  bios so i used  Linux and got my keys because you can see it using the Linux terminal  and I put Windows 8.1 back on it. the tricky part is Windows 8.1 iso will not accept OEM  keys to install it  they will only activate after  you install  it . So I use a modified  ISO that lets me install it 1st and then actvaite  the ISO is not legal but too late  i  already download the ISO  years ago.

[spudboy]

2 hours ago, steven36 said:

I'm glad I use Linux were  I  really own my OS to do as please with.

 

That may be the case, but Linux is still Linux. Which means it's still pretty much garbage. Privacy? Sure. But the funny part is that most people who complain about Windows privacy issues also own a smart phone, smart tv, have a Facebook account, use Chrome as their browser, have Google accounts for their Android phones, own Alexa devices, etc. etc.

[steven36]

1 hour ago, spudboy said:

 

That may be the case, but Linux is still Linux. Which means it's still pretty much garbage. Privacy? Sure. But the funny part is that most people who complain about Windows privacy issues also own a smart phone, smart tv, have a Facebook account, use Chrome as their browser, have Google accounts for their Android phones, own Alexa devices, etc. etc.

How is Linux garbage when i can run most  new windows apps and even apps  and games that want run in windows 10 ,  only older  windows because there not made anymore ? with codeweavers crossover . Anyone that thinks Linux  is garbage is stuck in the past or a Windows fanboy shill . If Linux is garbage  why did Microsoft add Linux to  Windows 10 and going let  you run native Linux apps?  Linux is in everything except Apple OS. So you make no sense. what the point in running windows  when i can run Windows apps  , games and Linux apps , games in Linux?  Like Linus Torvalds said people don't use  a OS  they use software on a OS ether  the software works on the OS are it doesn't and if they start talking about the OS and making up excuses for it there is something wrong with the OS.

 

The fact is  i see apps  in the software  part  of the board  everyday on this site were  people be struggling to keep activated  I be running them in crossover on Linux just  to test them .but do i need  these apps? No!!!.. because i have open source alternatives most of them work just  as good  and some of them work better . I'm not a business so i don't have to have windows  apps i broke myself from that years  ago  , Now i just have Windows apps to test them in Linux. And I have Windows  apps in Windows  because  i use Windows 8.1 and they want ever be away to run Linux apps without using a vm  in it , thankfully many of my apps are  cross platform so windows users  can enjoy them too .

 

I'm  not  most people I  don't own a smartphone i just have a burner or do I use Google Chrome .But nowadays they make Linux smartphones  that  have real Linux on it  and Not Google's or Apple. If i was most people i would not be  in the 4%  that use Linux  Desktop.

[Tunerz]

Reading the article and the discussion thread at ycombinator, looks like this Ninjutsu OS is practically a modified Windows installation ISO. Similar to those modified/tweaked Windows XP installers of the past. Yep, clear violation there.

[steven36]

39 minutes ago, Tunerz said:

Reading the article and the discussion thread at ycombinator, looks like this Ninjutsu OS is practically a modified Windows installation ISO. Similar to those modified/tweaked Windows XP installers of the past. Yep, clear violation there.

Just It not as good i still have one  them old XP ISO here  you can just install  it on a old xp box or  in a VM  and its already activated  because it's really cracked, windows vista was the last version of Windows to be cracked  .Windows 7 they used loaders at 1st  then they use kms server or phone activation  after that just work arounds. Windows 10 has  never been really cracked  the most use method  just exploits the weakness  in Windows 10 that  it really has been free every since they gave it away in 2015  and they never removed that backdoor yet. Windows 10 Enterprise Long Time Service can't be exploited   like that  it only works with using a illegal  KMS server .

[zanderthunder]

12 hours ago, Tunerz said:

Reading the article and the discussion thread at ycombinator, looks like this Ninjutsu OS is practically a modified Windows installation ISO. Similar to those modified/tweaked Windows XP installers of the past. Yep, clear violation there.

But it looks like BSA/Microsoft specifically targets Ninjutsu OS, yet they both are so dumb that there are still modified ISO's everywhere.

Besides, Sergei Strelec's ISO for example, also a modified ISO though it's actually Win8/10 PE in nature. Been using it for years when for backup/maintenance/repair/diagnostics.

[T3rM1nat0Rr3]

@pojeyo Your post has been removed. This is a News section & is not the place for links to download software.

[Tunerz]

14 hours ago, zanderthunder said:

But it looks like BSA/Microsoft specifically targets Ninjutsu OS, yet they both are so dumb that there are still modified ISO's everywhere.

Besides, Sergei Strelec's ISO for example, also a modified ISO though it's actually Win8/10 PE in nature. Been using it for years when for backup/maintenance/repair/diagnostics.

On the WinPE side, If I recall people are allowed to modify and distribute WinPE. Selling those customized ISOs is a nono. At least that's how I understand the Windows ADK EULA.

[DLord]

On 6/11/2020 at 7:13 PM, spudboy said:

Linux is still Linux. Which means it's still pretty much garbage

[spudboy]

5 minutes ago, DLord said: