A few weeks ago my wife’s laptop’s automatic update flashed a critical update. After closer look I noticed it was Microsoft’s infamous WGA trying to install. For those of you who do not know, WGA is Microsoft’s way to find if your version of Windows is genuine and not pirated. If it was just that, I wouldn’t mind but knowing and having experienced professionally Microsoft’s extremely poor security track record, the last thing I want on my network is a Microsoft program that phones home and gives them information I am not aware of on their swiss cheese riddled hole of servers using their own operating systems. I said no to the install and it still installed regardless. Luckily I caught it and shut it down through the firewall. This is how Microsoft have treating their clients since the mid-90′s.
It’s really creepy how Microsoft operates. a) I have a legitimate Windows system on her laptop since almost all computers are forced with Windows when you buy them. b) I don’t owe anything to Microsoft. Period! And the last thing I want is yet another program that dials into Microsoft’s without my consent and knowing what else gets sent out there. Dorry, Microsoft, I don’t trust you when you say no sensitive information is sent. You have lied plenty of times before on that same subject.
Microsoft just doesn’t get it. It is a pernicious company that never really goes out to get the real hackers, the real virus writers and trojan horse makers. It rather go for the easy bust and neglect the real problem. f course, the solution is to scrap this ill-design operating system and write one from scratch, or better yet, do like the rest of the industry and join Apple’s security success, build on top of Unix.
So if WGA or Windows Genuine Advantage program asks you to install and you know you have a real expensive legitimate license from Microsoft, say no and cancel that installation or just block it from your firewall.