AfterDawn: News

Paradox beats Vista activation

Well known warez group PARADOX has provided tools that will make Microsoft's anti-piracy aims for Windows Vista much tougher. The group has provided tools and information on how to trick a Vista installation (x86) into acting as if it is installed on an OEM machine, which requires no product activation. Manufacturers such as Dell distribute pre-installed Vista installations on new computers.

These companies embed certain license information into their hardware products, which can be validated by a Windows Vista installation, removing the need for further activation procedures. The installation required hardware-embedded BIOS ACPI_SLIC information signed by Microsoft. So this method takes advantage of how Vista validates on OEM machines.



By using a device driver, BIOS ACPI_SLIC information can be fed to Windows Vista's licensing mechanism. This, combined with an matching product key and OEM certificate, will render any system practically indistinguishable from a legit pre-activated system shipped by the respective OEM.

The PARADOX release covers all the requirements and is reported to work as promised. It will be interesting to see how Microsoft will respond to this latest hack.

Written by: James Delahunty @ 3 Mar 2007 19:57

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• 34 comments

• annat

  Read about it and download it!
  *edit by Jannejt | 5. -> PIRACY AND LINKING TO PIRATED MATERIAL IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED, YOUR ACCOUNT WILL BE FROZEN IF YOU DO THIS <-*

  3.3.2007 20:38 #1

• PeaInAPod

  Heck, I wanna try it out just to see if the thing actually works. If it does I say congradulations to PARADOX. You guys are pretty ingenious!

  3.3.2007 20:40 #2

• The_Fiend

  Already tested it on a test beast, seems to actually work...
  Untill M$ find out and patch the flaw that is.

  3.3.2007 20:43 #3

• veyron

  Microsoft is and will always be the best and juiciest target. To bad I can't get excited since I'll NEVER install Vista.
  Maybe I'll try it out on someones workstation. Just for kicks.

  3.3.2007 21:32 #4

• chubbyInc

  This is all Microsoft's plan anyways, you actually think they expect everyone to buy the operating system. They want people to do this, just to have the product; it's been working for them for the last 10 years.

  3.3.2007 23:27 #5

• ZippyG

  I haven't seen any compelling reasons to upgrade to Vista from XP at this time. Maybe in the future, but I'd love to see MS dethroned so we get some competition on the OS market.

  4.3.2007 00:11 #6

• ukgtitch

  Microsoft always say products will never be hacked, they also say this is the most secure version of windows "yet" you know why? because they gather up all the hacks/exploits on the previous operating system and patch them up in this operating system.
  
  They're gonna do this every windows release until every hack in the world has been tested on windows, therefor every hack that is bought out is just being patched by microsoft in the next operating system, so these hackers are writing microsofts future by them selfs, seriously if you think about it, if microsoft really wanted to bring the hackers down out there, they would do, they're not that hard to find.

  4.3.2007 00:56 #7

• ofolion

  Meaning you can get the new updates as well?

  4.3.2007 04:18 #8

• janrocks

  Ha Ha Ha.. 4 weeks released and hacked, updated, and faulty with no drivers and full of DRM.. get it free, and then swear when M$ patch, auto update you full of piracy notices and you can't return to XP.
  Vista is not the future (as much as M$ fanboys may crow) it's another windoze ME, and hopefully another nail in this bloated overbearing monopolies coffin.
  
  random anti-M$ link http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?showtopic=9051
  
  I love it when a plan comes together.
  

  
  
  irc.OFTC.net #debian-women .. Stuff Vista.. Stuff Micro$oft!!
  The revolution has happened.. Now we just need to TELL people!

  4.3.2007 04:56 #9

• lxfactor

  Originally posted by ukgtitch: if microsoft really wanted to bring the hackers down out there, they would do, they're not that hard to find.actually microsoft would spend millions trying to find hackers.. and when they find them where is the proof? you can't take down hackers, you arrest one or two.. and hundreds of new ones start posting hacks and cracks all over... and they are hacking activation methods. they aren't hacking the actual core.. so vista could be a pretty safe OS. when it comes to viruses. if it can run. it can be cracked/hacked/hexed. ect. =]

  4.3.2007 05:03 #10

• janrocks

  Quote: if microsoft really wanted to bring the hackers down out there, they would do, they're not that hard to find.
  Spoken like somebody who has never tried to find a hacking group. These people are very secretive, very paranoid, and generally very angry about something. Professional coders.. Not your average "script-kiddies.
  

  
  
  irc.OFTC.net #debian-women .. Stuff Vista.. Stuff Micro$oft!!
  The revolution has happened.. Now we just need to TELL people!

  4.3.2007 05:12 #11

• sukhvail

  hey arent they releasing the ps3 iso loader as well in a few weeks??

  4.3.2007 06:39 #12

• ukgtitch

  All i'm saying is, if microsoft wanted to spend their time on getting hackers then they'd find someway.
  
  Other than that, they want hackers and coders to actually try to find exploits into the system so once they know there are exploits, they can patch them up and move on, i'm not defending microsoft but it seems the logical way don't you think?

  4.3.2007 08:15 #13

• escalante

  Yeah, that's them. The same ones who are gonna release the PS3 ISO Loader soon. I'm so excited! Oh yeah, and M$ sucks. :)

  4.3.2007 08:46 #14

• georgeluv

  Originally posted by ukgtitch:Microsoft always say products will never be hacked, they also say this is the most secure version of windows "yet" you know why? because they gather up all the hacks/exploits on the previous operating system and patch them up in this operating system.
  
  They're gonna do this every windows release until every hack in the world has been tested on windows, therefor every hack that is bought out is just being patched by microsoft in the next operating system, so these hackers are writing microsofts future by them selfs, seriously if you think about it, if microsoft really wanted to bring the hackers down out there, they would do, they're not that hard to find.vista was not made to stop hackers, it was made to stop people from ussuing hardware and software that M$ doesnt get a peice of. wich is basicly illegal, but i guess they spun it well enough so that no one noticed.
  
  there will never be ANYTHING ever in the history of time, from now untill our mighty sun flickers out like a used up candel (then imediantly explodes and destorys our earth) that can not be hacked, cracked, exploited, whatever.
  
  this is how it works: if i make something, it can be unmade. no way around it. if ms has the ability to make updates to its system and things like that, then other people will be able to. its like physics almost. you cant make a computer program secure, its just molocules aranged on a magnetic disk. as long as people are making computer programs, people will be cracking them.
  
  THATS WHY ITS FUCKIGN STUPID TO TRY TO STOP IT, THE SOONER WE ALL MAKE PIRACY LEGAL (AT LEAST SORTA LEGAL) THE HAPPIER EVERYONE WILL BE.

  4.3.2007 08:50 #15

• spiesfan

  wow this news is 2 days old
  
  also hacking/cracking is NOT the same as software cracking

  4.3.2007 09:24 #16

• ukgtitch

  True. Make it legal!

  4.3.2007 11:51 #17

• webe123

  Why anyone would want Vista is beyond my understanding. It is just a souped up version of XP with a bunch of DRM thrown in....nothing new at all. I think I will wait awhile before I get anything like this. XP works just fine for me, why switch now?

  4.3.2007 15:00 #18

• xhardc0re

  PARADOX is about to rock $ony's world (read: PS3loader on Euro release day! lolz) & just rocked M$oft. can't wait to see this Vista p*tch in action. Although i'll never d/l b1ll gatez barge of crap & install it, will nevertheless be amusing to see it work. PARADOX is like pure sex0r for the hackz0r scene. PARADOX FTW!!

  4.3.2007 17:10 #19

• gogochar

  Wow. That's amazing. Not. Everyone knows it was inevitable.

  4.3.2007 17:38 #20

• zrdb

  I found out the hard way-DO NOT INSTALL THIS CRACK-it has a trojan-do it at your own risk!!

  5.3.2007 06:27 #21

• Twindaddy

  THATS WHY ITS FUCKIGN STUPID TO TRY TO STOP IT, THE SOONER WE ALL MAKE PIRACY LEGAL (AT LEAST SORTA LEGAL) THE HAPPIER EVERYONE WILL BE.
  (quoted by Georgeluv)
  
  When the day comes and the powers that be legalize hacking/cracking etc....It will no longer be a FUN thing to do.

  5.3.2007 06:59 #22

• joe777

  Before vista was released, there was talk of a 180day time bomb, which would require activation every 180 days. This indeed was the case when vista became retail. But the sucker blow for vista was? Activate vista yourself every 180days using VMWare ( a virtual machine ) which has the micro$oft server loaded. This way is by far the easiest. Ha ha ha ha use their own server software, on your machine, to activate!!! And by the way before vista hit retail there was a jacked version in place, which allows you to customize the install, i.e. integrate drivers (if you can find any compatible) and slipstream components and create an unattended install. The version for XP is tremendous, no more 4/5 hours to install the OS and all the rest of the progs. 40 mins and your all done

  5.3.2007 08:59 #23

• DVDdoug

  Quote:Well known warez group PARADOX It's not such a good thing to be a "well known" pirate group! Every couple of years there's a world-wide round-up and a bunch of pirates go to jail.

  5.3.2007 09:56 #24

• borhan9

  I like this article. I have learnt what OEM version do. Not needing a product key... Sounds interesting.

  6.3.2007 11:16 #25

• Steve83

  Hey, everyone! I've created a way to install every known virus onto a computer so it thinks they belong there. And it'll also lock every media file you own so you can't play it, but STILL report you as a thief every time you start the system!!! Isn't that great??? Wanna know how to do it? Can I post a link to it? :)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Who gives a rat's @$$ about Vista?! My next upgrade will be to XP Pro x64. Vista is worse than Millenium.

  8.3.2007 16:29 #26

• Twindaddy

  Screw it!!! I'm going back to my Commodore 64....MS Sux!!!

  9.3.2007 15:27 #27

• borhan9

  Quote:Screw it!!! I'm going back to my Commodore 64....MS Sux!!LMAO!!!!
  
  Hey at least change OS dont go back to the age where time stood still :)

  9.3.2007 16:32 #28

• Twindaddy

  Well you know all us "COOl" kids had a TRS-80 w/a Panasonic tape deck to hold our "Programs" LOL

  9.3.2007 18:12 #29

• Twindaddy

  By the By... I still have that TRS 80....

  9.3.2007 18:15 #30

• Netman66

  Billy Gates and M$ are theives. They sell us crap products, force us to activate it, constantly have to update it, and still it locks up and crashes while we sob.... We are just sheep being lead off a cliff.
  
  
  .....Commodore 64 :o)... If only we could turn back time... C64,38K Ram, TV, datasette recorder, 300baud modem, Bulletin Boards, hours and hours of typing in machine language code, and... hmmm, what else, OH Yeah!! NO VIRUSES. AHHH, Those were the Good Ole Days. Raise your hand if you still have your C64, raises hand.

  10.3.2007 05:39 #31

• janrocks

  hands up! and it still gets used every few weeks for putting headers on video tapes. Nearly a quarter of a century of practical usage. where do the early IBM pc's stand compared to that functionality?
  
  Who wants to upgrade to xp64.. that was another total lemon. Did more for the linux community than anything in the last 5 years.
  

  
  
  irc.OFTC.net #debian-women .. Stuff Vista.. Stuff Micro$oft!!
  The revolution has happened.. Now we just need to TELL people!

  10.3.2007 06:36 #32

• FredBun

  I was at circuitcity the other day and over heard some of the sales people (kids) in the computer section talking about how they created some programs that will beat vista and its DRM crap, I said to myself, YOU GO KIDS, stick it to MS.

  12.3.2007 17:27 #33

• betacam

  My Atari 800 PC (Got it new in 1979) still works great without any updates. Over 600 games, word processing, spreadsheet, etc.
  
  All with only 48K of RAM and not a single digit of code from Microsoft!
  
  28 years without a virus!

  29.3.2007 13:09 #34