Here's a bit we missed when it went around on Wednesday: Remember Windows Genuine Advantage, the app from Microsoft that will helpfully notify you,
over and over again, if it thinks your copy of Windows or Office is pirated? It turns out nagging isn't its only trick. Windows Genuine Advantage also quietly phones home to Microsoft's servers, "checking in" each and every day. Microsoft calls the phone-home functionality a "safety check"--they say the software is still a pilot program, and it needs to check in in case of "an unforeseen emergency that would require the program to terminate quickly." Uh... huh. Microsoft has acknowledged that though the imformation-gathering is disclosed in the shrinkwrap EULA, they should have been more up-front about the check-in and plans better disclosure in the future. Right. Because that will make everybody feel better about it.
Tags: genuineadvantage, microsoft, phonehome, privacy, security, wga, windows, xp
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Comments
19
Subscribe to commentsAlex LandJun 9th 2006 3:31PM
Okay so the program checks back to MS to say, indeed, that your copy of xp is genuine. Who cares? Unless you're not running a valid copy I suppose.
GuerroJun 9th 2006 3:36PM
More importantly, how does one remove the offending software ??
~J~Jun 9th 2006 3:46PM
Agree #1, who cares. If you're using legit software, then I for one have no issues in a little 'call' to say I'm a respectible and legal user. Hats off to Microsoft for having the balls to do this.
bzaksJun 9th 2006 3:46PM
So um.... when's it going to kill my windows?
BenJun 9th 2006 4:14PM
Wow, who can we trust in the software world? Now even microsoft is going about it's business the spyware way? Shame..
BryanJun 9th 2006 4:24PM
After the last Windows automatic update, my system froze. When I turned it back on, I got a warning that my copy of windows was not genuine. The problem is...It is genuine. I logged onto the MS page and re-ran the system checker, and it appeared genuine, and killed the nagging screens. I sure hope they didn't put me on the watch list.
Alex LandJun 9th 2006 10:50PM
#5, I googled 'spyware definition'. The first result that comes up is as follows:
Any software that covertly gathers user information through the user's Internet connection without his or her knowledge, usually for advertising purposes. Spyware applications are typically bundled as a hidden component of freeware or shareware programs that can be downloaded from the Internet. Once installed, the spyware monitors user activity on the Internet and transmits that information in the background to someone else. ...
MS isn't using 'spyware'. They're simply ensuring that your copy of windows is legit.
Jordan RunningJun 9th 2006 10:54PM
I'm not sold on the spyware issue one way or another, but Alex, it seems like the definition you posted fits Microsoft's WGA "feature" to a tee.
Wayne G LongwoodJun 10th 2006 3:12AM
Does anyone know what address it phones home to? It'd be easy enough to block that with a rule in my firewall...
Lohan RobertoJun 10th 2006 1:22PM
Microsoft is 'changing' the wga so it only calls home every 2 weeks, but if you dont' want to waite, here is a permanent work arround:
http://zxo.blogspot.com/2006/06/wga-notification-phones-home-during.html
Alex LandJun 10th 2006 3:08PM
I'm not really sure if I agree with that, Jordan. If I were to compare WGA to anything, it would be one of those 'send anonymous statistics' options that almost all new software comes with these days (winamp is the first one I can think of off the top of my head)..
One notable exception is iTunes, so there you go apple fanboys.
If WGA was spyware, MS would be selling the information it collects or they would target ads based on your browsing prefs. This, of course, isn't the case.
BenJun 10th 2006 4:16PM
Alex Land, if what you said is correct, then it is spyware. They are collecting info about your OS then sending it back to the mothership..
hazardJun 10th 2006 9:43PM
the wga is not the only windows process that calls back home on a regular basis. for instance everytime you select search in windows explorer it tries to contact 207.46.248.249 and there are plenty of others..
for Wayne: the address wga tries to contact is 207.46.250.101 and below is a whois dump - have to laugh at street address.
----------------------------
whois 207.46.250.101
----------------------------
OrgName: Microsoft Corp
OrgID: MSFT
Address: One Microsoft Way
City: Redmond
StateProv: WA
PostalCode: 98052
Country: US
NetRange: 207.46.0.0 - 207.46.255.255
CIDR: 207.46.0.0/16
NetName: MICROSOFT-GLOBAL-NET
NetHandle: NET-207-46-0-0-1
Parent: NET-207-0-0-0-0
NetType: Direct Assignment
NameServer: NS1.MSFT.NET
NameServer: NS5.MSFT.NET
NameServer: NS2.MSFT.NET
NameServer: NS3.MSFT.NET
NameServer: NS4.MSFT.NET
Comment:
RegDate: 1997-03-31
Updated: 2004-12-09
RTechHandle: ZM39-ARIN
RTechName: Microsoft
RTechPhone: +1-425-882-8080
RTechEmail: noc@microsoft.com
OrgAbuseHandle: ABUSE231-ARIN
OrgAbuseName: Abuse
OrgAbusePhone: +1-425-882-8080
OrgAbuseEmail: abuse@microsoft.com
OrgAbuseHandle: HOTMA-ARIN
OrgAbuseName: Hotmail Abuse
OrgAbusePhone: +1-425-882-8080
OrgAbuseEmail: abuse@hotmail.com
OrgAbuseHandle: MSNAB-ARIN
OrgAbuseName: MSN ABUSE
OrgAbusePhone: +1-425-882-8080
OrgAbuseEmail: abuse@msn.com
OrgNOCHandle: ZM23-ARIN
OrgNOCName: Microsoft Corporation
OrgNOCPhone: +1-425-882-8080
OrgNOCEmail: noc@microsoft.com
OrgTechHandle: MSFTP-ARIN
OrgTechName: MSFT-POC
OrgTechPhone: +1-425-882-8080
OrgTechEmail: iprrms@microsoft.com
# ARIN WHOIS database, last updated 2006-06-08 19:10
# Enter ? for additional hints on searching ARIN's WHOIS databas
Neal SafersteinJun 10th 2006 10:50PM
Microsoft is just protecting there business model.
Neal Saferstein
PramitJun 12th 2006 2:42AM
Here's a way to kill it without having it start up in the first place:
http://pramit.nairi.net/redux/2006/06/11/stopping-windows-genuine-advantage-dead-in-its-tracks-and-still-getting-the-updates/
Jordan RunningJun 12th 2006 12:55PM
There's a couple flaws with that line of reasoning, Alex. Unlike Winamp, et al, this is not an option. There's no checkbox (editing the registry, deleting files manually, or using a third-party fix does not count as a checkbox) to turn it off and unless you read the fine print you'll never know it's happening. And Unlike Winamp, et al, we have no indication that the information Microsoft collects is in any way anonymous.
Neal SafersteinJun 12th 2006 11:51PM
Try using this work around
http://zxo.blogspot.com/2006/06/wga-notification-phones-home-during.html
Neal Saferstein
J WestermanAug 2nd 2006 10:04AM
I would like some kind expert to provide a program that sends an email to Microsoft Customer Services every time they take information out of my computer without my permission. Nothing abusive. Simply a reminder that I object to intrusive surveillance.
The Dude Dean!!Aug 2nd 2006 2:50PM
MS Is big brother!!!