Microsoft Exec: Piracy No Longer A Threat To Us, Because Pirates Will Get Destroyed By Malware
from the interesting-theory dept
Ok, perhaps the title is a bit of an exaggeration, but it certainly appears to be what a Microsoft exec in the Philippines implied in a recent interview concerning Windows 7. Basically, he said that using unauthorized copies of the OS were really unsafe, so doing things like online banking or other sensitive stuff on such software could put users in serious danger. Of course, that makes you wonder what Microsoft has done to make unauthorized copies of the software so dangerous to use...
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Nail on the head my friend...my thoughts exactly
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I think Microsoft is having enough trouble getting their operating system to work on authorized copies.
Then again, I got Windows 7 64 bit addition (retard FCC disclosure, got it from my school and they give it to students for free) and it's pretty stable. I only had one incident where the operating system was crashing but hasn't crashed otherwise. However, it has some weird issues with VB.Net and software written by it, I either get a runtime error (the application crashes) or the application doesn't work properly.
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So Mike, when you "wonder what Microsoft has done to make unauthorized copies of the software so dangerous to use", the answer is nothing. It's just the nature of such a large piece of software. There will always be some security issues, and those issues will be exploited by hackers. Unpatched, people are going to be targets for hackers over and over again.
Sorry to burst your moral outrage, but Microsoft isn't intentionally building bombs into their software.
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Outside of that, It seems odd that an exec overseeing a market in a third world country, with limited financial resources would be so forward with disclosure of such a "non threat". In countries such as the Philippines, where a Windows 7 license may cost the equivalent of a typical person's entire months salary, I imagine it will make alternative software ecosystems such as Ubuntu more desirable to mitigate any potential or imagined licensing risks.
Remember when a Russian teacher bought computers for a school and Mikhail Gorbechev had to personally appeal to Bill Gates?
Gaming systems are one thing, but licensing maximalism for OSes can have very different consequences.
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Yes they do, it's called WGA. Annoying as hell. Never affects the pirates though. There are days I wish I had pirated my copy that way I don't have to deal with it.
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Re: WGA
As much as I dislike WGA in premise, it isn't that bad, and have a hard time believing it has done anything to slow you down, or interfere with your normal use of the OS.
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I have to wonder if this really makes a difference.Wouldn't they just pirate the patches/a patched version?
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Assuming that the pirates will be killed by malware is also assuming that they are dumb enough to think that Microsoft is the only place to get security. If they're smart enough to patch Windows, I think they're smart enough to get AVG and Zone Alarm.
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Microsoft has a vested interest in keeping even illegitimate computers safe. Every Windows box is a potential window, pun unintended, into OTHER Windows boxes.
This rep needs to get his facts straight. All Windows everywhere are equally safe. Unless he's talking about Windows Defender in Vista. My Vista copy is legit, so I'm unsure if everyone gets Defender stuff.
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> I run a pirated XP on one of my desktops.
Sir, you have admitted of an intellectual property theft. Please proceed to the nearest police station and commit yourself.
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My mom is gonna' be so angry.
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I would be interested in a source to back this up. If there is some facility beyond WGA to deny updates then it does not work. WGA isn't needed for a functional or up to date system btw.
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I fail to see the wisdom
Sure Microsoft can snicker about it and say it serves them right but it also wrecks havoc on the entire internet.
And do you think that business are going to blame the pirates for the trouble?
No, they are going to blame the Windows operating system and Microsoft for letting it happen.
Very short sighted on the part of Microsoft because they are the ones who initially created the problem by acting like drug pushers and actually encouraging people to pirate their software to the point that people have now become (in the words of Bill Gates) "addicted" to it.
I certainly don't condone the piracy but when you look at the big picture form an objective perspective it was Microsoft who created the problem in the first place.
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from a guy who took 5 minutes to figure out WGA wod?
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Re: Re: I fail to see the wisdom
~Bill Gates~ 1998
I am not going to look up the articles and provide links again because some people are too lazy to find the information themselves.
The apologists just deny it anyway no matter how much evidence there is to support the claim so there is no point in providing the evidence every time someone asks for proof.
Sorry, you have to do the research for yourself.
You will have to pay me if you want me to do it for you.
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Re: Re: I fail to see the wisdom
The bottom of page one and most of page three address your question. Basically it comes down to "if they can't pay for software, we want them to steal ours instead of the other guy's. That way when they can pay for it guess who's software they'll be most familiar with/most likely to buy."
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Re: Re: Re: I fail to see the wisdom
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Nothing wrong with a little FUD...
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Reply to Dest
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They took the entire freaking OS and fooled the online checks to see if you have a legal copy. So as far as a microsoft server is concerned your copy is legal. Sure they figure out a way to go "Hey you aren't legal at all!" then 24 hours later some hacker goes "Ok everyone, run this and we are good to go again."
Also there are antivirus antimalware antiWHATEVERware out there. Microsoft updates aren't the first or last line of defense and getting a microsoft update a bit late is unlikely to cause heartburn.
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I would change the title to "Microsoft Exec: our os is a security nightmare"
Has a nice ring to it.
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Bahaha, this site is so biased it's unbelievable.
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I do agree with "$10 guy" that MSFT may be allowing a giant bot to be created by failing to support their "ecosystem" of software.
Botnet = Skynet? Time will tell.
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skynet actually worked.
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Conspiracy theory
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"MS pirate division covertly implements security holes then sells the issue to hackers... then they adjusts them via updates then re-sell issues to hackers" MS wins both ways... they make money off the hackers and the hacker screw up un-licensed versions.
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hypotheekrente
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Malware as a DoS threat...? Is there an app for that... Yet?
Right now, it seems somewhat contained, but recognize it for what it is. It's a new DoS threat, and unfortunately, it will probably be further exploited.
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Windows as a virus
One final note. I have had attempts to infect my system via email attachments sent to me by friends and family because their systems were infected. None got past my email virus scanners (3 different systems scan all my email) and since I don't use IE and I keep my Firefox updated, I don't get "drive-by" infections either. In any case, I only use Firefox on Windows to get software updates and such. 99%+ of my browsing is on Linux systems so the chances of an infection are much, much lower than for a Windows OS.
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As an avid user of Linux, I tend to stand on the opensource side of the argument. I don't believe in downloading software I didn't pay for. But there are loads of people out there that would download that 'release'.
One other thing to point out, most software is downloaded just to have it. I read posts from guys that download 100s of gigs every day, burn programs to CDs or DVDs, and then throw them into spindles; never to use them again. Most downloaders won't use that latest and greatest version of Maya 2010. They'll most likely download and store it until the time comes that they need more room and end up throwing out boxes of software that's 10 years old.
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hmmm..
MS is just exercising their right to enforce their EULA. If you want to hack your xBox, be ready to have your account deactivated. This is the nature of any service based system.
MS is providing a service with the understanding that you abide by their rules. Might analogize it to gold farmers in WoW. Don't like it, suck it up and move on.
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The revenue they get from companies running MS shit is way more than enough.
When will they realize that the more home users use their OS the better?
They should frigging pay me for using Windows and advertising their product.
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To remain consistent with your own stances, you ought to applaud this kind of thing.
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Spin you in a hole and lodge the next big one would ya?
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Piracy No Longer A Threat To Us
Or does it not strike you as odd that the DRM shit you place in your software has an adverse impact on us paying customers when it goes horribly, horribly wrong?
Take WGA, as an example. If it fails, the data is lost. Forever. By your own admission at that. My PC wasn't infected nor was it compromised. It simply didn't get along with a Norton update and because the software failed to pass WGA, I got screwed.
I can assure you, Microsoft, if this ever happens to me again, I'll also become a pirate of your operating system.
I don't pay to have my data wiped out without warning by doing what the hell I'm supposed to.
Thus, the idol threads that "malware will get you, matey!" is bullshit. Pirated software users seem to be lucky in the fact they don't present the significant problems paying customers do.
Which is interesting in itself coming from a company that gives more software away than any other company on earth. So why the hell not the OS?
It's not as though it's a new damn application. It's just a prettier version of the last.
Sorry for the rant. Things like this just piss me off.
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go online to activate???
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It was bundled with the new PC I just bought.
Ironically, it was my working to flush the system with all the crap Dell installed on their machine (including Norton).
But I patched XP before I started to remove the software, and WGA freaked Norton out, which prevented WGA from "ensuring my copy of Windows was legal".
Lock.
Believe me, with 6 hours total to both parties for customer support, you can bet I'll never use Norton again.
If it wasn't for the software I use, I wouldn't be using Windows, either.
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Simple Solution
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Imagine the shopkeeper who boobytraps his property to protect against criminals. He's usually found liable when a criminal is harmed, and certainly when an innocent is. Imagine the shopkeeper who leaves the floor in an employees only room wet because he's the only one there. If a customer finds his way in there and falls, guess who gets fined or sued. Think of good samaritan laws too, and laws that require one to mitigate damages.
How long before some enterprising law firm combines all these and find a valid reason for a, possibly successful, class action suit on behalf of all windows users?
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The current hack exploits a back door they built in to Vista/7 for OEM distributors. These machines have no keys, and no need for them if they have the right OEM BIOS. The new crack exploits this by spoofing those OEM BIOSes and making Windows think the machine has a valid OEM license. Thus they always validate through WGA since the keys aren't checked, the BIOS is.
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It's not like Dupont walks into your house and says, "Hey, this guy Bob is using Windows. DAMN, that's a fine idea! We ought to use Windows, because Bob is using Windows! Call the IT guys! I'll bet they've never heard of this WINDOWS thing!"
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One would think that a business would love to use a system that everybody is already used to.
Microsoft would get their revenue from business buying their OS.
It already gets most of its revenue from companies, mostly OS and Office.
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Luckily, people won't be able to do any of that to their unauthorized copies. It seems that Microsoft has finally defeated piracy.
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epic lawl
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XP lasted about 8 years. So, assume 5 years for an OS
$160 spread over 5 years is ~$0.09 per day. I bet you can find the money somewhere.
If you don't have the $$ right now to purchase it, ma'b you should've been saving 1 dime per day from your change since XP came out.. you'd be set.
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Don't Pirate Software.
He's right.
But the real reason not to pirate software is that it distorts the market by locking out alternatives in favor of the incumbents. We all know what Bill Gates said about piracy 10 years ago - "as long as they're going to steal it we want them to steal ours."
Make no mistake. Microsoft can make WGA bulletproof. They won't, though, and that's the reason why. The last thing they want you doing is using Linux
The day that Microsoft turns the WGA knob to 11, I will throw a Linux party.
--
BMO
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Piracy No Longer A Threat To Us
As for users with pirated copies of Windows not being given access to updates and security patches, is so far from the truth, it's not funny!! Getting by the WGA is very easy to do and has been done since the beginning of Windows!
Bugs, malware, spyware and other nasties affect legit users of Windows just as much as the illegal users, so this MS Executive from the Philippines is really full of crap!!
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Microsoft Exec: Piracy No Longer A Threat To Us
Properly patched, Any version of Windows will get patches and updates, so what's all the fuss about?
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And from most of the comments, I can understand that most of the people here are not that familiar with software security. Saying that some software is less/more secure that some other is actually an error, since there is no reliable metric with which you can how secure a program is.
And even the most secure program has at least a few security bugs every thousand lines of code. Once such an error is found, it's all over.
As Windows is the most widely used OS currently, so do most hackers (or to use the write term: crackers) focus on it. Even a linux based system (with selinux), or a bsd would fall when put under so much pressure.
There isn't alot to say about Mac os X and security, since they have no touching points. (I know that the pwn to own contest is not the best metric, yet it is still better then the apple http://dvlabs.tippingpoint.com/blog/2008/03/28/pwn-to-own-final-day-and-wrap-up)
ps: I am not a MS employee, nor a MS fanboy don't use MS products. I do use Gentoo Linux and almost only open source programs. Still I believe that there should be some objectivity.
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Very likely but such things are easy to mitigate should they become a noticeable problem. Even the public file sharing communities could use various methods for assuring the integrity of the products being shared, if they felt the need.
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FTFY
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and for the Pirates ( MS ) claims has done more good for there OS then they could have ever done
the PPl with copy's of the OS have made it better and got rid of the waste and made it run better
They have also found the holes that can be use to make the OS vulnerable to attack
The have also made a lot of money from sales because of the copies that are out there that ppl have seen and wanted to get with there new system they bought because of it
And also one can unlock Windows 7 with a simple removal of a very simple code and then the ppl with code to get by the validation to make it look real and get updates and stop them from taking over your OS and making it useless
But I have a real version of the OS and it was hit with there updates to get Pirates and had to go to Dell to get it fixed .. MS may put out the code .. but if you did not buy a copy off the shelf from them and got yours from the manufacturer you have to go to them to get it going again
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windows 7
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Piracy
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