Story J6FP Windows 10 can detect and disable pirated games and modified peripherals

Windows 10 can detect and disable pirated games and modified peripherals

by
Anonymous Coward
in microsoft on (#J6FP)
In the wake of a stolen Xbox being tracked down via wireless controllers, Microsoft has updated the Windows 10 terms and conditions such that they "may automatically check your version of the software and download software update or configuration changes, including those that prevent you from accessing the Services, playing counterfeit games, or using unauthorised hardware peripheral devices."

The wording "unauthorised hardware peripheral devices" is a little hazy. Does this mean Microsoft can now block uncertified PC or illegally-modified Xbox One and Xbox 360 controllers? Furthermore, Microsoft's agreement doesn't state if it will also disable other counterfeit software, such as cracked versions of Office or Adobe Photoshop, or if it only cares about pirated Microsoft games.

The services agreement was clearly written originally for Xbox and Xbox Live, and when writtten was probably only intended to ever apply to them. However, because Microsoft has simply taken an existing services agreement and applied it to core Windows 10 services like Cortana means that, intentionally or accidentally, it could be applied to Windows 10. We think it's unlikely that Microsoft actually intends to go after pirated games on the PC, but until Microsoft clarifies things, this remains a grey area.
Reply 7 comments

I have a better idea (Score: 0)

by Anonymous Coward on 2015-08-23 14:39 (#J7DX)

Avoid Windows 10.

Pirate sites to block Windows 10 (Score: 0)

by Anonymous Coward on 2015-08-23 14:53 (#J7ES)

Microsoft does not get to be my big brother (Score: 2, Funny)

by fnj@pipedot.org on 2015-08-23 16:26 (#J7M5)

unauthorised hardware peripheral devices
Microsoft: fuck you. With a stick of dynamite. The peripherals I cannect to ***MY*** computer are authorized by ***ME***. Only me. Not you. Go peddle this shit to Adolf Hitler and Josef Stalin and Mao Tse-Tung.

Re: Microsoft does not get to be my big brother (Score: 2, Insightful)

by zafiro17@pipedot.org on 2015-08-23 17:54 (#J7S8)

Why not just call a spade a spade? By buying a WindowsPC you are essentially acquiring a rental, in which you bear all the costs as well as all the legal exposure, while Microsoft allows you to do what they would like you to do (pay monthly for subscriptions to their different cloud offerings) and not much more.

You might like to think it's your computer. And in some ways it is. But in an increasingly list of ways, it is not.

Re: Microsoft does not get to be my big brother (Score: 2, Interesting)

by hairyfeet@pipedot.org on 2015-08-25 15:27 (#JDPK)

Uhhh...because before Windows 10 this was not true? XP/Vista/7, hell even 8 and 8.1 once you stripped out the crapstore are simply OSes that the user is in full control of, this is NOT true of Windows 10. With Windows 10 what you get is a Chromebook that runs programs natively, that is all, all the words you type, everything you do, is sent back to corporate just like with a Chromebook it only PRETENDS that its a non thinclient when in reality it sends all the data back just like any other thin client.

I have to give MSFT credit for one thing....Windows 10 has actually caused me to recommend Windows 8 because you can pick up a copy of Win 8 for around $60 USD and with the crapstore removed and Classic Shell its merely Win 7 with a worse control panel.

Re: Microsoft does not get to be my big brother (Score: 2, Interesting)

by wootery@pipedot.org on 2015-08-25 15:42 (#JDRF)

The peripherals I cannect to ***MY*** computer are authorized by ***ME***. Only me. Not you.
Things started going wrong when they invented HDCP.

Perfectly good monitor with a DVI port? Tough luck, Sony decided you can't use that with a PS3 unless it's able to decrypt HDCP (and old monitors can't).

Re: Microsoft does not get to be my big brother (Score: 2, Informative)

by evilviper@pipedot.org on 2015-08-25 20:52 (#JEN9)

HDCP Strippers (for about $15 now) have been around for quite a while:

http://www.amazon.com/HDMI-1x2-3D-splitter/dp/B003UYOEMI/

It's a feature included in HDMI/DVI capture devices, which is about the only way of DVRing highdef cable/satellite broadcasts.

Just like DVDs, the cryptographic security wasn't all that well-designed.