Windows 10 can disable pirated games and illegal hardware

[Mr. Laz]

http://www.pcauthority.com.au/News/4...-hardware.aspx

Microsoft can disable your pirated games and illegal hardware
Atomic

Friday 14 August 2015 | Comment Now
Microsoft can disable your pirated games and illegal hardware
Updated EULA terms let Microsoft invade your Windows 10 computer in search of counterfeit software.

Microsoft's updated European Licence Agreement terms and conditions let it disable any counterfeit software or hardware and, if you're running a Windows 10 computer, you've just agreed to them.

Section 7b – or “Updates to the Services or Software, and Changes to These Terms” – of Microsoft's Services EULA stipulates that it “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.”

This means that, if you use Windows 10, a Windows phone, or any of Microsoft's other services, Redmond can disable any games you've pirated or devices you've unlawfully hacked.

While it's incredibly clear what Microsoft means by “counterfeit games”, 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 EULA 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 games.

I've reached out to Microsoft for a comment about these unanswered questions and will update you when more information becomes available.

Video game piracy, or “counterfeit games” as Microsoft puts it, has been a big issue in PC gaming for a long time. Many developers have sought to circumvent it by hard-coding impossible odds into their games, which are only solved by having a purchased activation code on your computer. The same issue is also now becoming prevalent on Android and jailbroken iOS devices. However, under Microsoft's new EULA, Windows 10 Mobile would be able to combat any pirated software a user loads onto their phone – potentially making it an attractive prospect for indie developers scared of having their work stolen.

Interestingly, Microsoft killed off its incredibly unpopular, DRM-heavy, Windows Live Games in Windows 10, and opted to support Steam instead. But, with these new terms and conditions, Microsoft has practically baked DRM into the core of Windows 10.

This article originally appeared at alphr.com

[unlurking]

OK, so the default is not on. I got got by the scaremongering.

I STILL don't want someone else to have the capability to share my network.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by unlurking

Yay!

And because Dick has it turned off, he has to share his key manually with specific people who ARE NOW IN CONTROL OF SHARING DICK'S NETWORK.

How the **** can you not understand that some people don't want to hand security control to Microsoft or their guests?!?!

WTF?!?!

Blargalblarg! WTF! Manually? How ****ing else would Dick share his key?

[Fish]

Originally Posted by unlurking

OK, so the default is not on. I got got by the scaremongering.

I STILL don't want someone else to have the capability to share my network.

Then don't give anyone the capability to share your network, dumbass.....

[unlurking]

Originally Posted by Fish

Blargalblarg! WTF! Manually? How ****ing else would Dick share his key?

Gaaaaah!

If Dick types his key into a guests computer (because maybe he is worried about security and has a 48 character key that is easier to type himself), Dick has the expectation that he is sharing his network with one person. Yet at the check of a box, that one person can share Dick's network with hundreds or thousands of others.

How does Dick prevent that?

[unlurking]

Originally Posted by Fish

Then don't give anyone the capability to share your network, dumbass.....

So. How do you stop a guest user from sharing your network?

[Fish]

Originally Posted by unlurking

Gaaaaah!

If Dick types his key into a guests computer (because maybe he is worried about security and has a 48 character key that is easier to type himself), Dick has the expectation that he is sharing his network with one person. Yet at the check of a box, that one person can share Dick's network with hundreds or thousands of others.

How does Dick prevent that?

Dick doesn't check the mother****ing box that says Share network with my contacts.

[unlurking]

Originally Posted by Fish

Dick doesn't check the mother****ing box that says Share network with my contacts.

How the **** does he stop Jane from doing it?

[Fish]

Originally Posted by unlurking

How the **** does he stop Jane from doing it?

Stop Jane from doing what? Jane doesn't know the password unless Dick give it to her. The option to share to the user's network isn't available unless the user knows the password to connect to the wifi network. JFC man. Don't give Jane the ****ing password.

[unlurking]

Originally Posted by Fish

Stop Jane from doing what? Jane doesn't know the password unless Dick give it to her. The option to share to the user's network isn't available unless the user knows the password to connect to the wifi network. JFC man. Don't give Jane the ****ing password.

So she can't go in and check the box later? There's no "show characters" option? Or are you saying option 2 is the right management technique?

[Fish]

Originally Posted by unlurking

So she can't go in and check the box later? There's no "show characters" option? Or are you saying option 2 is the right management technique?

Don't give Jane the ****ing password. You don't trust her.

[007]

Originally Posted by Fish

Don't give Jane the ****ing password. You don't trust her.

I think what he is trying to determine is if he enters his password into another persons computer(doesn't actually tell them what the password is) can that person still click anything that would allow that password to be passed on to other wifi sense users.

My understanding is, no it would not be passed to any other people.

[unlurking]

Originally Posted by Fish

Don't give Jane the ****ing password. You don't trust her.

So option #3.

Which means likely kicking the kids off the network to keep them from sharing with all their friends when they come over and just accidentally sharing it with the thousands of facebook friends they don't really know but have because, popular.

[unlurking]

Originally Posted by Guru

I think what he is trying to determine is if he enters his password into another persons computer(doesn't actually tell them what the password is) can that person still click anything that would allow that password to be passed on to other wifi sense users.

My understanding is, no it would not be passed to any other people.

What I've read is that it's a 1 degree of separation control. If it's shared to you, you cannot then share it on. But if it is manually configure in your system, you can share it on. Is that incorrect?

[007]

Originally Posted by unlurking

What I've read is that it's a 1 degree of separation control. If it's shared to you, you cannot then share it on. But if it is manually configure in your system, you can share it on. Is that incorrect?

I don't use that function on my network so I can't speak directly to your question. I'm just stating what I understand of it. I still defer to Fish on this.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by Guru

I think what he is trying to determine is if he enters his password into another persons computer(doesn't actually tell them what the password is) can that person still click anything that would allow that password to be passed on to other wifi sense users.

My understanding is, no it would not be passed to any other people.

Originally Posted by unlurking

So option #3.

Which means likely kicking the kids off the network to keep them from sharing with all their friends when they come over and just accidentally sharing it with the thousands of facebook friends they don't really know but have because, popular.

No, guys. See post #39. If you don't turn on Wifi Sense on your own network, other users don't have access to the password to give to anyone else. If you don't trust others with the password, then setup a guest wifi connection. Any OS stores a wifi password once entered. That's not specific to Wifi Sense. If you don't trust the person with the password, then your only option is to setup a guest network.