Microsoft Confirms Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) Is Not Spyware
Microsoft’s latest move comes in response to the new version of WGA, which frequently checks whether the Windows XP operating system installed on systems with this application is legitimate and reports back to Microsoft daily.
The first version of the WGA tool was introduced last year and regularly checked the legitimacy of Windows XP to ensure that it wasn’t a pirated version of the operating system. However, at that time, this tool only functioned when users used the automatic update feature or downloaded software from Microsoft’s website.
In April, Microsoft upgraded WGA, adding the Notifications feature that allows the application to continuously check the legitimacy of the Windows XP version even when users do not utilize the operating system’s automatic upgrade feature.
In a statement sent through Microsoft’s public relations firm, Waggener Edstrom, the developer noted, “The WGA Notifications feature only communicates with Microsoft when the PC is booted up and does not provide any information if the installed version of Windows XP on that PC is legitimate. Instead, this tool only checks through server configuration settings to see if WGA is running on the system. This check also allows Microsoft to disable WGA if necessary.”
This self-defense move by Microsoft stems from expert Lauren Weinstein’s report that WGA continuously connects to send notifications to Microsoft every time the PC is booted, regardless of whether the installed version of Windows XP is completely legitimate.
This expert published these notifications on her blog and referred to Microsoft’s WGA as functioning like spyware, capable of collecting information about users without their knowledge.
Thus, Lauren raised concerns about privacy regarding how companies control their software today. Such software is increasingly provided as a service rather than as traditional software.
“I don’t think Microsoft needs to know information about their product when it has been verified as completely legitimate,” Lauren asserted.
Hoàng Dũng
