Vista Crack Means Big Trouble


Joe Wilcox
Joe Wilcox

In a somewhat deja vu circumstance, crackers may have put the kibosh on Windows Vista product activation, as they did before Microsoft made Windows XP's widely available.

The exploit doesn't break Microsoft's anti-piracy mechanism, but falsely activates some Windows Vista versions.

The Windows Vista crack, if definitely proven effective, is rather ingenious. Because I haven't personally tried it out and Microsoft is confirming nothing--absolutely nothing--I can't definitely say it works. But, conceptually, the crack should work, although it's a whole lot of trouble for average folks. Paying up for a legit copy of Vista would be better way to go, if for no other reason than it's the right thing to do.

In a statement, Cori Hartje, director of Microsoft's Genuine Software Initiative, described the crack as "purely speculative."

I can confirm the cracking tools are out there. I easily found Web links to torrents of the crack. Supposedly the software contains a VMware image and visual basic script that acts as a pseudo activation server for Windows Vista. The user obtains a Windows Vista image file--also available on torrents--and activates against the pseudo server.

The crack exploits Microsoft's Volume Activation 2.0, which Windows Vista supports. The newer anti-piracy mechanism requires Windows Vista versions obtained through volume licensing to phone home every so often to essentially reactivate. Microsoft chose the approach to combat the ongoing problem of leaked or stolen volume-licensing keys. Five years ago, the first keys leaked even before Windows XP shipped, allowing for mass pirating of the operating system. Conceptually, the reactivation mechanism would allow Microsoft to revoke some keys and then invalidate pirated Windows Vista copies.

Volume Activation 2.0 uses two reactivation mechanisms. The crack supposedly takes advantage of the Key Management Service, or KMS. Businesses would set up KMS servers for activating Windows Vista and reactivating within every 180 days.

The service is only designed for software distributed through volume licensing, which would mean Windows Vista Enterprise. The consumer versions of Windows Vista activate in single fashion, so the cracking technique shouldn't work. Besides, Enterprise is the ultimate version to steal, so to speak.

"We are actively monitoring these types of piracy and counterfeit situations, and will take action on any Key Management Service or Multiple Activation Key keys that have been reported as stolen or abused," Hartje said.

The crack isn't without its flaws. Pirated Windows Vista versions would have to be pseudo-reactivated within every 180 days. Vista copies that aren't activated or fail to reactivate all but shut down in about 30 days.

From a security perspective, the Vista crack is deeply disturbing. Suppose a pirate distributed hacked versions of Windows Vista that redirected product activation to its own servers. Conceptually, the hacker could distribute pirated software preloaded for participation in botnets. A little pseudo-activation here, some added remote-access Trojans (RATs) there, and the hacker-pirate has a botnet distribution platform.

There would be little consolation in people stealing Vista paying the hacker pirate by another means, because of all the trouble botnets cause.

No doubt, Microsoft will respond to this crack, assuming it's real, quite possibly by modifying how KMS works. It's not like there have been massive deployments of legitimate copies of Windows Vista yet. The customer impact would be minimal right now.

As for the crack, Microsoft anti-piracy mechanisms aren't perfect, nor are they meant to be. Microsoft probably could make Windows a really tough nut to crack--maybe impossible to pirate. But the cost would be huge reduction in the operating system's utility and usability.

As an end user, I dislike Microsoft's anti-piracy mechanisms. They're a hassle, and they feel like Microsoft either doesn't trust or must punish legitimate users. But Microsoft could have made the mechanisms much more burdensome. Each time hackers, crackers and pirates (Oh my!) undermine these mechanisms, Microsoft must make them tougher and in the process more burdensome for legitimate users. That's the price we pay for people who steal.
http://www.microsoft-watch.com/content/v...2129TX1K0000535

ireland
meh the current cracks either barely work or are spy ware.
In time they will get better.

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That's the price we pay for people who steal.

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So bottom line is, we all should steal :-)

Windows Vista crack is actually a trojan
Posted by l33tdawg on Friday, December 08, 2006 - 01:35 AM (Reads: 352)
Source: APC Mag


Malware makers are starting to take advantage of the number of users searching for cracks for the pirated copies of Vista floating around. A new download has started circulating around the crack boards called "Windows Vista All Versions Activation 21.11.06". It purports to be an activation crack for any version of Vista. However, the file is actually a trojan-carrier which will install Trojan-PSW.Win32.LdPinch.aze onto your PC. BitTorrent users who posted reviews of the crack said that a number of antivirus programs detected the malware, though Norton AntiVirus and NOD32 did not.

Windows Vista crack is actually a trojan

* 3rd December 2006
* James Bannan
* Vista, Windows

Malware makers are starting to take advantage of the number of users searching for cracks for the pirated copies of Vista floating around.

A new download has started circulating around the crack boards called "Windows Vista All Versions Activation 21.11.06". It purports to be an activation crack for any version of Vista.

However, the file is actually a trojan-carrier which will install Trojan-PSW.Win32.LdPinch.aze onto your PC.

BitTorrent users who posted reviews of the crack said that a number of antivirus programs detected the malware, though Norton AntiVirus and NOD32 did not.

In an interview about the Windows Vista installation process, and the ease with which administrators can pre-install software into a Vista install DVD, Microsoft Australia's John Pritchard warned that pirated copies of Vista could easily come with malware preinstalled.

"I would certainly recommend when people are looking at any content they make sure they have the approved and hologrammed DVDs to make sure they’re dealing with the genuine product, to get away from not knowing where the source comes from. If they have control of the unattended installation and built it themselves then hopefully they know what they are putting on it."
http://apcmag.com/node/4737

You can read the full interview here.
http://apcmag.com/node/3834

TI won't rush into Microsoft Vista readily

Two year sprint

By Charlie Demerjian: Sunday 10 December 2006, 07:29
CORPORATE AMERICA, no, make that corporate everywhere is treating Vista like a dead animal found in the woods, they will poke it with a stick, but there is no way they will take it home. Take TI for instance, it is not going to touch the wonder OS for another two years or so.

The memo below, posted on the TI Infolink internal site goes to show what a warm reception Vista is getting. You can upgrade thousands of machines and buy a new OS, or just stay put. Looks like almost everyone is staying put.µ

TI will maintain Windows XP platform; computer users should not install Windows Vista

(30 Nov 2006)

IT Services will maintain a global Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) operating system standard until 2009 in an effort to save TI a significant amount of money in licensing and support costs. This standard will serve as an alternative to migrating to Microsoft's new Windows Vista platform when that product becomes available in late January 2007.

IT Services strongly discourages TIers and contractors from installing Windows Vista on any TI-owned computer or using a home computer with Vista when connecting to the TI network. New TI computers will continue to include Windows XP through 2008.

"We're confident Windows XP will continue to be a stable, cost-effective and secure operating system standard for TI during the next two years," said Ken Rempert, manager of Client Services and Support. "Windows XP has proven to be a solid platform, and IT Services has adopted this standard worldwide to reduce cost and improve employee productivity."
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=36259

That sounds just like what i've been hearing from all my colleague's and everyone in the field.
Sounds like the world is finally seeing Billy Gates' game for what it is :-D

*rolls eyes*
lets see how "together" OS is when they recreate it for the next version....ALtho I could see Mac doing a better job at driver compatibility but then they seem to do better with drivers anyway *L*

get rid of vista and xp ,and have them get back to updating windows 2000..

which windows xp is windows 2000 with out the bells and whistle's

my main system is 2000..................

Originally posted by ireland:

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get rid of vista and xp ,and have them get back to updating windows 2000..

which windows xp is windows 2000 with out the bells and whistle's

my main system is 2000..................

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better yet rebuild the API,DX and kernels so win2K has a good compabilte game mode.
:P

The new Vista is class build 6000 vista ultimate which i can confirm the crack works.

http://img291.imageshack.us/my.php?image=vistawm4.jpg

Originally posted by REYREY1:

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The new Vista is class build 6000 vista ultimate which i can confirm the crack works.

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how about plugging al the lil tracking thigns they put in the crack? *L*

besides it takes a few months for the cracks and the updates to have a nice middle aera of it working and be patched enough to amke it worth running.

Quote:

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Originally posted by REYREY1:

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The new Vista is class build 6000 vista ultimate which i can confirm the crack works.

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how about plugging al the lil tracking thigns they put in the crack? *L*

besides it takes a few months for the cracks and the updates to have a nice middle aera of it working and be patched enough to amke it worth running.

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Didn't have any problems with the cracks ain't tried the updates yet will do that soon to see if it official has cracked vista.

Quote:

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[quote]

Originally posted by REYREY1:

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The new Vista is class build 6000 vista ultimate which i can confirm the crack works.

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how about plugging al the lil tracking thigns they put in the crack? *L*

besides it takes a few months for the cracks and the updates to have a nice middle aera of it working and be patched enough to amke it worth running.

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Didn't have any problems with the cracks ain't tried the updates yet will do that soon to see if it official has cracked vista.[/quote]
half of the newer easy to find cracks have all kinds of trojins and hidden tracking stuff.
just warning you is all its good it works it means non spy/ad/mal ware will be made sooner rather than later *L*

opps

Originally posted by REYREY1:

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DOHH!!

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shareing of cracks is a no no better remove before a mod finds it and banfries you :P

hehehehe :P

lol at least remove your quote mate.

Originally posted by REYREY1:

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lol at least remove your quote mate.

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:P

Nice one

I still say all you dummies that get vista should have your computers replaced with a teething ring.
And FYI, those cracks won't last long, as soon as vista officially hits consumer shelves in stores, there will be more sh*t for them to patch than there was with XP.
Hell, the first range of updates for vista will be out next week.
So we'll see how long those cracks hold up this time.
Btw, you don't seem to be running ultimate with all the bells and whistles on...
What's the matter, PC couldn't handle it ?

The_Fiend
it burns it burns so :P
meh in time (6-18 months) it should be patched enough to try or even keep.
but untill then its not even worth looking at to try and test it.

...Which is my point exactly.
Lets be honest, i have the coporate install discs here, i wouldn't need no stinking hacks or patches, it's just that all the bullsh*t this comes with and all the bloat makes it seem useless.
There's already more holes discovered in Vista now then there where with XP in the entire year of 2005, so why anyone would be stupid enough to install this hunk of junk is beyond me.
And i had a look at the DRM's, and i don't even want to go into how badly you'll break the kernel if you try to work around them.
It will take either a stroke of luck or a sheer genius to crack this puppy.
So i say Billy Ga(y)tes can stick it.

The_Fiend
then crawl under a rock and be in mac land or use unix and stop wanting windose stuff to run on it you can't have it both ways.XP took a year to mature,vister will be no different because they used the same old build plan they used for XP dev for it a bit beta test it for a bit find all sort of crap to be fixed skip fixing them now and release it NOW and then fix it as it goes along sadly thats how MS works,MAC works but unless a virtual console can do 3D its pointless dual booting is pointless unless you don't use the computer alot or you have a 2nd PC,if you have a 2nd PC just put XP on it and use 2K,linux or MAC,Windose aint going anywhere ,early adaption for OSs and consoles are genrealy costly and pointless unless its a WII... MAC has had only acouple slip ups with OSX so thier reelase record is good but genrealy theres 1 that breaks the don't buy it when it first comes out rule..

I will have microsoft's cake and eat it too !
Also, that last reply makes no sense whatsoever, try to breathe and think between sentences FFS.
Not to mention it's hard to read since there's no structure.
And the spelling... well..
Since yer already on dial up, you might as well take the time to do a spell check, it can't take that much time.

REYREY1,
About that screenshot that you linked to...
It seems a little strange that the activation window says 'Activation Successful', and yet in the bottom right corner of the screen, just above the taskbar, it says 'Evaluation Copy'.