- The Associated Press, Bloomberg News Thursday, January 27, 2005
Microsoft, the world's largest software maker, said Wednesday that it would fight piracy by requiring some customers to verify that they have a legitimate copy of the Windows operating system in order to download some of its software.
.
Customers using the Czech, Norwegian and Chinese versions of Windows will not be able to use a Microsoft download Web site starting next month unless they have a valid copy of Windows, David Lazar, director for Microsoft's Genuine Windows program, said.
.
Toward the middle of the year, the restrictions will be expanded to all users of two Microsoft sites for downloading software and security updates.
.
The company will also expand a program that rewards legitimate customers with free software and discounts.
.
The system allows Microsoft to use one of its sharpest weapons - access to security patches that combat viruses and worms and other crippling attacks - to thwart piracy.
.
But some security experts warned that the crackdown could increase Internet security problems. If the number of computers open to attack increased, those computers could then be used to attack others, these experts said.
.
Lazar said Microsoft would monitor that potential problem closely. But the company considers its authentication requirement to be one way to increase Internet security because pirated copies of Windows could contain viruses or other security threats, he said.
.
Over the next few months, Microsoft will begin to more broadly adopt the program, called Windows Genuine Advantage, that urges users to provide proof that their Windows copy is authentic before receiving some software updates.
.
By the middle of the year, the program will become mandatory for Windows users to get virtually all updates, including security fixes available through the company's Windows Update Web site. But users who have pirated copies of Windows will be able to continue to get security fixes if they sign up to automatically receive them.
.
Russ Cooper, a senior scientist with Cybertrust, an information security company, said he expected Microsoft to eventually cut off security updates for pirated copies. "The reality is that shareholders of Microsoft would like to see them get all the money they are owed," Cooper said.
.
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< < Back to Start of Article Microsoft, the world's largest software maker, said Wednesday that it would fight piracy by requiring some customers to verify that they have a legitimate copy of the Windows operating system in order to download some of its software.
.
Customers using the Czech, Norwegian and Chinese versions of Windows will not be able to use a Microsoft download Web site starting next month unless they have a valid copy of Windows, David Lazar, director for Microsoft's Genuine Windows program, said.
.
Toward the middle of the year, the restrictions will be expanded to all users of two Microsoft sites for downloading software and security updates.
.
The company will also expand a program that rewards legitimate customers with free software and discounts.
.
The system allows Microsoft to use one of its sharpest weapons - access to security patches that combat viruses and worms and other crippling attacks - to thwart piracy.
.
But some security experts warned that the crackdown could increase Internet security problems. If the number of computers open to attack increased, those computers could then be used to attack others, these experts said.
.
Lazar said Microsoft would monitor that potential problem closely. But the company considers its authentication requirement to be one way to increase Internet security because pirated copies of Windows could contain viruses or other security threats, he said.
.
Over the next few months, Microsoft will begin to more broadly adopt the program, called Windows Genuine Advantage, that urges users to provide proof that their Windows copy is authentic before receiving some software updates.
.
By the middle of the year, the program will become mandatory for Windows users to get virtually all updates, including security fixes available through the company's Windows Update Web site. But users who have pirated copies of Windows will be able to continue to get security fixes if they sign up to automatically receive them.
.
Russ Cooper, a senior scientist with Cybertrust, an information security company, said he expected Microsoft to eventually cut off security updates for pirated copies. "The reality is that shareholders of Microsoft would like to see them get all the money they are owed," Cooper said.
.Microsoft, the world's largest software maker, said Wednesday that it would fight piracy by requiring some customers to verify that they have a legitimate copy of the Windows operating system in order to download some of its software.
.
Customers using the Czech, Norwegian and Chinese versions of Windows will not be able to use a Microsoft download Web site starting next month unless they have a valid copy of Windows, David Lazar, director for Microsoft's Genuine Windows program, said.
.
Toward the middle of the year, the restrictions will be expanded to all users of two Microsoft sites for downloading software and security updates.
.
The company will also expand a program that rewards legitimate customers with free software and discounts.
.
The system allows Microsoft to use one of its sharpest weapons - access to security patches that combat viruses and worms and other crippling attacks - to thwart piracy.
.
But some security experts warned that the crackdown could increase Internet security problems. If the number of computers open to attack increased, those computers could then be used to attack others, these experts said.
.
Lazar said Microsoft would monitor that potential problem closely. But the company considers its authentication requirement to be one way to increase Internet security because pirated copies of Windows could contain viruses or other security threats, he said.
.
Over the next few months, Microsoft will begin to more broadly adopt the program, called Windows Genuine Advantage, that urges users to provide proof that their Windows copy is authentic before receiving some software updates.
.
By the middle of the year, the program will become mandatory for Windows users to get virtually all updates, including security fixes available through the company's Windows Update Web site. But users who have pirated copies of Windows will be able to continue to get security fixes if they sign up to automatically receive them.
.
Russ Cooper, a senior scientist with Cybertrust, an information security company, said he expected Microsoft to eventually cut off security updates for pirated copies. "The reality is that shareholders of Microsoft would like to see them get all the money they are owed," Cooper said.
.Microsoft, the world's largest software maker, said Wednesday that it would fight piracy by requiring some customers to verify that they have a legitimate copy of the Windows operating system in order to download some of its software.
.
Customers using the Czech, Norwegian and Chinese versions of Windows will not be able to use a Microsoft download Web site starting next month unless they have a valid copy of Windows, David Lazar, director for Microsoft's Genuine Windows program, said.
.
Toward the middle of the year, the restrictions will be expanded to all users of two Microsoft sites for downloading software and security updates.
.
The company will also expand a program that rewards legitimate customers with free software and discounts.
.
The system allows Microsoft to use one of its sharpest weapons - access to security patches that combat viruses and worms and other crippling attacks - to thwart piracy.
.
But some security experts warned that the crackdown could increase Internet security problems. If the number of computers open to attack increased, those computers could then be used to attack others, these experts said.
.
Lazar said Microsoft would monitor that potential problem closely. But the company considers its authentication requirement to be one way to increase Internet security because pirated copies of Windows could contain viruses or other security threats, he said.
.
Over the next few months, Microsoft will begin to more broadly adopt the program, called Windows Genuine Advantage, that urges users to provide proof that their Windows copy is authentic before receiving some software updates.
.
By the middle of the year, the program will become mandatory for Windows users to get virtually all updates, including security fixes available through the company's Windows Update Web site. But users who have pirated copies of Windows will be able to continue to get security fixes if they sign up to automatically receive them.
.
Russ Cooper, a senior scientist with Cybertrust, an information security company, said he expected Microsoft to eventually cut off security updates for pirated copies. "The reality is that shareholders of Microsoft would like to see them get all the money they are owed," Cooper said.
.
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