Window Vista Activation Bypass Revealed

I sat in on a demo today by Brian Livingston that showed how to bypass Windows Vista Activation, a link to the procedures and accompanying newsletter is at the bottom of the article.

One thing to mention here is that this procedure does not require the download of any software, this can be done within Vista itself with a very simple two step procedure. Their does appear to be some limitations in the number of times the procedure can be run although it is mute point as the procedure extends vista activation a considerable amount of time.

While the procedure appears to work as advertised what I found very interesting was that one of the people on the call had received a response from Microsoft on this issue, their general response, and I am paraphrasing here, is that while Microsoft protects it’s Intellectual property rights, and that they acknowledge that hacks are being reported they are being aggressive in updating windows activation scheme. Again I am paraphrasing as I was not recording the demo.

It was a consensus by some on the call that Microsoft is clearly worried about this.

Please Note; The activation bypass procedure has not been run on all versions of Vista, but deep down the basis of this procedure is serious enough, in that it reveals the heart of the activation mechanism. I personally think Microsoft has a big problem on their hands.

Why would Microsoft do this it appears to stem from Corporate Client concerns about enterprise roll-out, so it this procedure was left in place to help companies that roll-out thousands of seats a way to avoid machines not being activated.

Sadly Microsoft may have left the barn door open to everyone else on the planet to circumvent Windows Vista Activation which ultimately will be very bad for Microsoft. 

Demo was done by Brian Livingston of Windows Secrets see his full article.