Hackers outwit Windows 7 activation process

Hackers again have managed to outwit the activation process on Windows 7.

According to an article on My Digital Life, two utilities, called "RemoveWAT" and "Chew-WGA," remove the activation technologies or keep them from operating. Both utilities trick Windows 7 into reporting that it has been activated.

A Microsoft spokeswoman told Computerworld that the company knows about the hacks and is addressing them.

Microsoft certainly is no stranger to anti-activation hacks, and has typically used Windows Update to distribute changes to users. My Digital Life believes that Microsoft may make the same move with Windows 7 workarounds.

"As [the] cracks based on removal of activation component involves patching, changes and modification to many system files, it's likely to be easily detected and nullified by Microsoft, especially in [the] next WGA update or Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2," My Digital Life reported.

In July, Microsoft confirmed that pirates cracked the Windows 7 activation. The cause of a leak of an OEM disk image from Lenovo, one of Microsoft's major OEM partners. The disk contained a master OEM key and the requisite activation certificate to enable the release version of Windows 7. Microsoft gives OEMs the ability to pre-activate its operating system in the factory to ease the hassle for end-users.

For more:
- read this My Digital Life post
- read this Computerworld article

Related Articles:
Pirates crack Windows 7 activation
Hello, Windows 7
Apple: Windows 7 an opportunity to sell more Macs
Windows 7 takes longer to become 'fully usable'
Lenovo claims fastest Windows 7 boot-up and shutdown times
Switch to Windows 7 64-bit is not smooth sailing for everyone
Windows 7 battery life worse than XP