Microsoft antipiracy tool 'acts like spyware'

The Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications tool will contact Microsoft daily, but the software firm insists this shouldn't alarm you

hxxp://news.zdnet.co.uk/0,39020330,39273855,00.htm

[kittmaster]

I read that it is still considered a "pilot" program that was unleashed and can be "shut down" when it "malfunctions" or reports excessive errors............nice MS.....

Hi,

Tool Deletes Microsoft Piracy Alarm

A security analyst has released a tool that lets users remove Windows Genuine Advantage Notification, part of Microsoft's controversial campaign against software counterfeiting.

The tool, called RemoveWGA, was released this week by Guillaume Kaddouch, a French developer who also makes a firewall utility called Firewall Leak Tester. RemoveWGA is a response to Microsoft's revelation earlier this month that the Windows Genuine Advantage Notification program frequently contacts Microsoft, according to Kaddouch.

"That, along the fact that Microsoft used deceptive ways to make you install this tool... makes me call (WGA Notification) spyware," Kaddouch said in a note accompanying the release of RemoveWGA.

Windows Genuine Advantage includes two main parts: WGA Validation and WGA Notification. Validation checks that an instance of Windows XP is properly licensed, and is required for some Windows updates. If the copy doesn't check out, Notification repeatedly reminds the user to upgrade to a properly licensed version of Windows.

For More Info Visit

http://www.techworld.com/news/index.cfm?RSS&NewsID=6296

RemoveWGA 1.02
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/Uninstallers/RemoveWGA.shtml

Check this out if anyone is worry about it..

WGA is taking a turn for the worst...

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=84

Guess what? WGA might be on the verge of getting even messier. In fact, one report claims WGA is about to become a Windows ��kill switch�� �C and when I asked Microsoft for an on-the-record response, they refused to deny it.