Microsoft confirms existence of Windows Vista’s OEM BIOS activation scheme

Microsoft confirms existence of Windows Vista’s OEM BIOS activation scheme

Software giant Microsoft has already successfully managed to circumvent several possible hacks to their Vista operating system.

Now, we have a new one in the form o f Windows Vista’s OEM BIOS activation scheme. The company has acknowledged that these new hacks are being made available online but they currently have no plans to work on countering them.

Alex Kochis, senior product manager of WGA recently gave out more details on this new hack to enable people to run illegal version of their Vista OS. It involves spoofing the process used by major computer makers who pre-activate Windows Vista before shipping systems to customers.

Microsoft allows these system manufacturers to add a marker in the motherboard’s BIOS to identify PCs licensed to boot Windows. Kochis said: “Because there were easier ways to pirate Windows XP, I don’t think much attention was ever paid to [OEM hacking]. However, because Windows Vista can’t be pirated as easily as Windows XP, it’s possible that the increased pressure will result in more interest in efforts to hack OEM Activation 2.0.”