Microsoft Logs IP Addresses to Catch Windows 7 Pirates

[shamu726]

A presumed pirate with an unusually large appetite for activating Windows 7 has incurred the wrath of Microsoft. In a lawsuit filed at a Washington court, the Seattle-based company said that it logged hundreds of suspicious product activations from a Verizon IP address and is now seeking damages.

Due to the fact that one needs to be present on most computers in order for them to work at all, operating systems are among the most pirated types of software around.

There can be little doubt that across its range in its 29 year history, Microsoft’s Windows operating systems have been pirated countless millions of times. It’s a practice that on some levels Microsoft has come to accept, with regular consumers largely avoiding the company’s aggression.

However, as one or perhaps more pirates are about to find out, the same cannot be said of those pirating the company’s products on a commercial scale.

In a lawsuit filed this week at a district court in Seattle, Microsoft targets individuals behind a single Verizon IP address – 74.111.202.30. Who he, she or they are is unknown at this point, but according to Microsoft they’re responsible for some serious Windows pirating.

“As part of its cyberforensic methods, Microsoft analyzes product key activation data voluntarily provided by users when they activate Microsoft software, including the IP address from which a given product key is activated,” the lawsuit reads.

Microsoft says that its forensic tools allow the company to analyze billions of activations of Microsoft software and identify patterns “that make it more likely than not” that an IP address associated with activations is one through which pirated software is being activated.

“Microsoft’s cyberforensics have identified hundreds of product key activations originating from IP address 74.111.202.30…which is presently assigned to Verizon Online LLC. These activations have characteristics that on information and belief, establish that Defendants are using the IP address to activate pirated software.”

Microsoft says that the defendant(s) have activated hundreds of copies of Windows 7 using product keys that have been “stolen” from the company’s supply chain or have never been issued with a valid license, or keys used more times than their license allows.

In addition to immediate injunctive relief and the impounding of all infringing materials, the company demands profits attributable to the infringements, treble damages and attorney fees or, alternatively, statutory damages.

This week’s lawsuit (pdf) follows similar action in December 2014 in which Microsoft targeted the user behind an AT&T account.

Source: TorrentFreak

[Chancer]

Makes you wonder why one person was doing so many that they became noticeable.

[Arachnoid]

There was a recent post in which a US judge stated that an IP address cannot be used as a pointer to whom is using it.

[Future Soldier]

Well microsoft accepts piracy but it doesnt when someone makes profit (which something most crackers and peaple agree)

[steven36]

There was a recent post in which a US judge stated that an IP address cannot be used as a pointer to whom is using it.

It don't matter what one US judge says unless its federal law it only apply to the jurisdiction the decision was made . Even in the jurisdiction If the decision was in low court it can be appealed an took to higher court and changed . 50 states with 50 sets of different laws .Judges don't make laws they just enforce them to the way they see fit and the person may not agree with it. And this is not the same-thing no ways say if someone else uses your ip to download something it could of been someone else .

Windows 7 cant be activated but so many times and you agree to let them check your ip to validate . If you activate a 100 times you can bet something fishy is going on at that ip . this is there own fault if they would just done it one or two times and used it Microsoft would never thought nothing of it.

I never have to reactivate it because my computer is OEM I can push a button and its already activated and set back to factory . Anything above vista you don't really own no way unless you have a OEM computer because after so many activations the serial is no good any more . :lol:

[emerglines]

Viva Linux !!

[steven36]

Viva Linux !!

Only 1.5% of the world uses Linux... 91.05 % of the world uses Windows.. the rest use MAC.

So most developers are more focused on making Windows and Mac apps . There's not many apps for Linux just free ones unless you use Wine and run Windows apps and many apps don't work right in Wine . In the real world no one uses Linux or even MAC for that matter. So all the Linux hoopla is just hoopla . :lol: :)

April, 2015 operating system market share.

http://www.netmarketshare.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=10&qpcustomd=0

[Future Soldier]

There was a recent post in which a US judge stated that an IP address cannot be used as a pointer to whom is using it.

It don't matter what one US judge says unless its federal law it only apply to the jurisdiction the decision was made . Even in the jurisdiction If the decision was in low court it can be appealed an took to higher court and changed . 50 states with 50 sets of different laws .Judges don't make laws they just enforce them to the way they see fit and the person may not agree with it. And this is not the same-thing no ways say if someone else uses your ip to download something it could of been someone else .

Windows 7 cant be activated but so many times and you agree to let them check your ip to validate . If you activate a 100 times you can bet something fishy is going on at that ip . this is there own fault if they would just done it one or two times and used it Microsoft would never thought nothing of it.

I never have to reactivate it because my computer is OEM I can push a button and its already activated and set back to factory . Anything above vista you don't really own no way unless you have a OEM computer because after so many activations the serial is no good any more . :lol:

WILL WE ALL KNOW WIN 7 OEM was best activation method and will be

and due to piracy on even oem i think microsoft choose not go win 8 oem mainline like before LOL -- i had read it somewhere

[steven36]

There was a recent post in which a US judge stated that an IP address cannot be used as a pointer to whom is using it.

It don't matter what one US judge says unless its federal law it only apply to the jurisdiction the decision was made . Even in the jurisdiction If the decision was in low court it can be appealed an took to higher court and changed . 50 states with 50 sets of different laws .Judges don't make laws they just enforce them to the way they see fit and the person may not agree with it. And this is not the same-thing no ways say if someone else uses your ip to download something it could of been someone else .

Windows 7 cant be activated but so many times and you agree to let them check your ip to validate . If you activate a 100 times you can bet something fishy is going on at that ip . this is there own fault if they would just done it one or two times and used it Microsoft would never thought nothing of it.

I never have to reactivate it because my computer is OEM I can push a button and its already activated and set back to factory . Anything above vista you don't really own no way unless you have a OEM computer because after so many activations the serial is no good any more . :lol:

WILL WE ALL KNOW WIN 7 OEM was best activation method and will be

and due to piracy on even oem i think microsoft choose not go win 8 oem mainline like before LOL -- i had read it somewhere

I don't have windows 7 OEM i had 2 genuine keys for windows 7 this how i know about the activation one key they gave me was only good for one computer and the other one I had was only good for so many pcs both of them can only be activated so many times . I have windows 8 OEM now its already activated if i use factory recovery or my recovery disc . and i just update it to windows 8.1 trough the store . if i use windows recovery it checks my key but i only use factory recovery . When you buy a pc its already activated they just make image of that and put it on a recovery drive that you can reformat from or make disc from . I can just install my old drivers with it if i get a bad update or reinstall any OEM programs that came with it that i uninstalled as well. :)

[ugurano]

boring, i mean this here xd

[Gabben]

Viva Linux !!

Only 1.5% of the world uses Linux... 91.05 % of the world uses Windows.. the rest use MAC.

So most developers are more focused on making Windows and Mac apps . There's not many apps for Linux just free ones unless you use Wine and run Windows apps and many apps don't work right in Wine . In the real world no one uses Linux or even MAC for that matter. So all the Linux hoopla is just hoopla . :lol: :)

April, 2015 operating system market share.

http://www.netmarketshare.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=10&qpcustomd=0

stop being a M$ fanboy

[DLord]

I did give Linux a try couple of years ago but I'm back to Windows, and I'm not a M$ fan. IMHO Windows if much better than Ubuntu (Linux version that I tried).

[steven36]

Viva Linux !!

Only 1.5% of the world uses Linux... 91.05 % of the world uses Windows.. the rest use MAC.

So most developers are more focused on making Windows and Mac apps . There's not many apps for Linux just free ones unless you use Wine and run Windows apps and many apps don't work right in Wine . In the real world no one uses Linux or even MAC for that matter. So all the Linux hoopla is just hoopla . :lol: :)

April, 2015 operating system market share.

http://www.netmarketshare.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=10&qpcustomd=0

stop being a M$ fanboy

Not really a M$ fanboy other than windows I don't use many of there products at all , No one else has much to offer me, I'm even willing to pay if they did .. Its just reality is all Linux is free and only 1.5% of the world uses it. It could not be because of the price. Its not my fault Microsoft has a monopoly on O/S :lol:

[dcs18]

As on April, 2015 - Windows commands approximately 70.30% of the OS market share as against Linux @ 1.18% approximately.

Windows adoption is approximately more than a thumping 59% that of Linux - this, despite Linux being absolutely free.

Despite the exorbitant cost, end Users are willing to beg, borrow or steal their copy of Windows - would Linux have reached to even their deplorable figure of 1.18% had they attempted to charge for Linux?

BTW, before anyone squeals Microsoft FanBoy - please feel free to search my posts for my Linux (mis)adventures . . . . . . . . . . . it sucks!!!

[steven36]

Microsoft don't really hold a monopoly on anything else but O/S

For along time Chrome had the edge over IE but seems Chrome is steadily losing ground due all the bad press its received here lately

Desktop Browser Version Market Share April, 2015 IE came out on top again.

https://www.netmarketshare.com/browser-market-share.aspx?qprid=0&qpcustomd=0

Andriod owns 52% Mobile/Tablet Operating System Market Share April, 2015

https://www.netmarketshare.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=8&qpcustomd=1

With all this being said Microsoft are losing lots of money they want too for windows. a lot of people used XP for 12 years and still holds 15.93% of the market share as of April, 2015. windows 7 was released 5 years ago and holds 58.39%. and People who pirate windows opinion don't matter to Microsoft. They probably wish you would stay on XP :lol:

With the large numbers that pirate windows vs 2 cases in the US in 2 years were they took them to court over there IP activating to many times is really a low % and not really news worthy . If they took a lot of people to court for it it would be . :P

[dcs18]

Makes you wonder why one person was doing so many that they became noticeable.

Performing hundreds of activations from an IP is nothing unusual (have been doing that myself) - makes me wonder . . . . . . . . . why he was not changing his IP (quite unusual for a pirate.)

[player]

Performing hundreds of activations from an IP is nothing unusual (have been doing that myself) - makes me wonder . . . . . . . . . why he was not changing his IP (quite unusual for a pirate.)

A proxy may not hide one's identity. The activation modules could have log IP / route config locally instead of trusting the IP header from the received network packet. If MS didn't already do this they can turn the killswitch on anytime.

And it is not the number of activatons from the same IP that matter, what if I work as system builder and always activate Windows before handing off the computer to my clients?

Microsoft says that the defendant(s) have activated hundreds of copies of Windows 7 using product keys that have been “stolen” from the company’s supply chain or have never been issued with a valid license, or keys used more times than their license allows.

[dcs18]

Performing hundreds of activations from an IP is nothing unusual (have been doing that myself) - makes me wonder . . . . . . . . . why he was not changing his IP (quite unusual for a pirate.)

A proxy may not hide one's identity. The activation modules could have log IP / route config locally instead of trusting the IP header from the received network packet. If MS didn't already do this they can turn the killswitch on anytime.

Can't seem to remember mentioning anything about that primitive term known as a proxy.

And it is not the number of activatons from the same IP that matter, what if I work as system builder and always activate Windows before handing off the computer to my clients?

Exactly my point - but, as a System Builder from the pirate point-of-view. B)

[player]

Can't seem to remember mentioning anything about that primitive term known as a proxy.

mind to share plausible way to change IP on a frequent scale as if we were activating many systems?

[steven36]

Windows 7 checks keys to see if there genuine periodicity .. They been doing this way back when added WAT as a windows update

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/971033

So if it were the case of just 1 key they could easy kill it but its not they ether have to have many keys or using loaders with invalid keys. Someway to get around WAT . Most likely Microsoft has killed some of the keys but it kept happening from the same ip .

Microsoft says that pirated software costs the industry billions of dollars a year. It cites figures that the value of pirated software was in excess of $9.7 billion in 2013 in the United States.

It adds that one of the most common instances of software piracy is “hard-disk loading,” where software is copied without authorization and eventually sold on at a lower rate than legitimate copies. Illegal copies can also affect the customer, leaving them vulnerable to potential security risks, since they don’t receive all updates and may be pre-loaded with malware.

“The real victims in these types of cases are consumers who may unknowingly purchase software they think is legitimate which can expose them to an increased risk of being impacted by spyware, malware and viruses,” said the Microsoft spokesperson.

In recent times, Microsoft has adopted a more relaxed approach to piracy, even going as far as to allow pirate users of previous Windows versions to upgrade for free to Windows 10 (though doing so does not make the license valid ).

This new legal action probably doesn’t represent a change in policy. Instead, Microsoft is going after this defendant because of its large number of illegal activations. Whether the culprit is a distributor of pirated software, or a business attempting to skate by activation fees, remains unclear for now.

http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/microsoft-tackling-windows-7-pirate-help-logged-ips/

[dcs18]

Can't seem to remember mentioning anything about that primitive term known as a proxy.

mind to share plausible way to change IP on a frequent scale as if we were activating many systems?

As and when required, I use a new VPN which I am beta-testing (unfortunately, I am under an NDA.)

[steven36]

I'm glad i don't have worry about i normally turn my VPN off when doing windows updates all legal here . A VPN would not help if you sold someone else and illegal copy windows . Because any one that had a genuine key knows that if you try to block wat or using a blacklisted key its going deactivate with out the help of a loader or something . and any one key will not activate but so many times on so many computers . Microsoft dont care if its just one activation or most would be in court. I sure would never buy a bootleg copy of windows off no one . I don't even use bootleg ones i can download for free other using them in vmware and deleting VM latter witch Microsoft gives you a free trial anyways for testing. It would take a very un savvy person who dont know anything about computers to pay someone money to load there computer with warez.

[emerglines]

Whatever, Viva Linux !

[CODYQX4]

The bigger question is, if he was pirating, why not just loader or KMS? Neither talk to the server to activate, maybe validate but not activate.

He must have had a crap ton of stolen keys or something.

[AR_Alex]

The bigger question is, if he was pirating, why not just loader or KMS? Neither talk to the server to activate, maybe validate but not activate.

He must have had a crap ton of stolen keys or something.

He probably hosted a kms server, Microsoft piracy team found his site or something and collected evidence to prove that he was making money.