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

[007]

Originally Posted by Fish

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.

I don't have anyone I don't trust with my password but I also do not actually tell them the password. I enter it myself and keep it masked from them. I understand that once I enter it, that person can always access my network until 1) I change the password on my router or 2)they wipe the settings from their PC/device.

Your post sounds as if they can still share the password even though they have no idea what it is. My understanding is that they cannot share that password with anyone else unless I specifically tell them what the password is. Which I never do.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by Guru

I don't have anyone I don't trust with my password but I also do not actually tell them the password. I enter it myself and keep it masked from them. I understand that once I enter it, that person can always access my network until 1) I change the password on my router or 2)they wipe the settings from their PC/device.

Your post sounds as if they can still share the password even though they have no idea what it is. My understanding is that they cannot share that password with anyone else unless I specifically tell them what the password is. Which I never do.

Yes, they can do that once you enter the password. But that is not a function of Wifi-Sense though in any manner. That's a function of the OS, which is present in Windows XP, and Windows 7 and Windows 8, and Windows 10. Along with mobile OSes. And OS X. That's not a new feature.

You've been doing it without realizing...

[unlurking]

Originally Posted by Guru

I don't have anyone I don't trust with my password but I also do not actually tell them the password. I enter it myself and keep it masked from them. I understand that once I enter it, that person can always access my network until 1) I change the password on my router or 2)they wipe the settings from their PC/device.

Your post sounds as if they can still share the password even though they have no idea what it is. My understanding is that they cannot share that password with anyone else unless I specifically tell them what the password is. Which I never do.

That's my question as well.

I know they can go see the key themselves. I don't have a problem with that. I have a problem with them being able to share it with all of their contacts by clicking a checkbox later that they likely won't understand the complications of.

[unlurking]

Originally Posted by Fish

Yes, they can do that once you enter the password. But that is not a function of Wifi-Sense though in any manner. That's a function of the OS, which is present in Windows XP, and Windows 7 and Windows 8, and Windows 10. Along with mobile OSes. And OS X. That's not a new feature.

You've been doing it without realizing...

No, but what seems to be a new feature is giving them the ability, in a sense, to post your key (well, hash) on facebook by checking a single box.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by unlurking

That's my question as well.

I know they can go see the key themselves. I don't have a problem with that. I have a problem with them being able to share it with all of their contacts by clicking a checkbox later that they likely won't understand the complications of.

Again, it's you who has control over that. When you setup your own wifi network, you have the choice of enabling Wifi-Sense on that connection. Not doing so completely prevents anyone else from sharing shit. If you don't enable Wifi-Sense, they don't have the option to share with contacts. You can even enable Wifi-Sense and still uncheck let others share your network...

[unlurking]

OK, so let me try and clarify my question a little.

Network with zero Windows 10 machines. No WiFi Sense enabled devices.

Key is then given to someone new with a WiFi Sense enabled. They can then share that network via WiFi Sense?

Or key is manually entered without checking the box. They can go back later and check the box to share the network?

[007]

Originally Posted by Fish

Yes, they can do that once you enter the password. But that is not a function of Wifi-Sense though in any manner. That's a function of the OS, which is present in Windows XP, and Windows 7 and Windows 8, and Windows 10. Along with mobile OSes. And OS X. That's not a new feature.

You've been doing it without realizing...

OK, so the answer is I should never let anyone use my network at any time without a guest access setup on my router.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by unlurking

OK, so let me try and clarify my question a little.

Network with zero Windows 10 machines. No WiFi Sense enabled devices.

Key is then given to someone new with a WiFi Sense enabled. They can then share that network via WiFi Sense?

Or key is manually entered without checking the box. They can go back later and check the box to share the network?

It's dependent on the host of the wifi connection. If the host doesn't enable Wifi-Sense on their own network, then others can't share it even when given the password to get internet access. You can't use Wifi-Sense features if that is not enabled on the host in the first place. If you don't enable Wifi-Sense, then your wifi connection acts like a normal wifi connection. Maybe that's what people are missing..?

[Fish]

Originally Posted by Guru

OK, so the answer is I should never let anyone use my network at any time without a guest access setup on my router.

No, don't be obtuse. You should just never enable Wifi-Sense on your own wifi network even if you have a Win10 computer. Problem completely solved.

[007]

Originally Posted by Fish

No, don't be obtuse. You should just never enable Wifi-Sense on your own wifi network even if you have a Win10 computer. Problem completely solved.

I think you missed where I said I don't use wifi sense.

I'm backing out of the conversation. I was trying to help get clarity for unlurking but instead I'm just obtuse.

[unlurking]

Originally Posted by Fish

It's dependent on the host of the wifi connection. If the host doesn't enable Wifi-Sense on their own network, then others can't share it even when given the password to get internet access. You can't use Wifi-Sense features if that is not enabled on the host in the first place. If you don't enable Wifi-Sense, then your wifi connection acts like a normal wifi connection. Maybe that's what people are missing..?

Yeah, you are confusing the shit out of me.

The WiFi connection host is the AP. The AP is not WiFi Sense aware. It is completely dependent on the clients that connect to the host. (Maybe semantics getting me here, just clarifying.)

If the SSID is appended with "_optout" at the AP, then that signals Microsoft not to share. Although it weirdly takes a few days based on some backend process, not something that Win10 itself is aware of. That's the only thing that can be done at the AP. Still no WiFi Sense awareness, but basically a robots.txt style optout function (where you put your trust in the spider/crawler).

The clients are the ones with WiFi Sense. So in essence, a dozen Win10 devices that are configured manually to connect to the AP (not connecting from somebody else's WiFi Sense sharing) could all share authentication methods for that network to the contacts on all dozen Win10 devices.

Am I getting that right?

[unlurking]

Originally Posted by Guru

I think you missed where I said I don't use wifi sense.

I'm backing out of the conversation. I was trying to help get clarity for unlurking but instead I'm just obtuse.

I get what you meant, but Fish's responses aren't quite as acute as I'd hoped.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by unlurking

Yeah, you are confusing the shit out of me.

The WiFi connection host is the AP. The AP is not WiFi Sense aware. It is completely dependent on the clients that connect to the host. (Maybe semantics getting me here, just clarifying.)

If the SSID is appended with "_optout" at the AP, then that signals Microsoft not to share. Although it weirdly takes a few days based on some backend process, not something that Win10 itself is aware of. That's the only thing that can be done at the AP. Still no WiFi Sense awareness, but basically a robots.txt style optout function (where you put your trust in the spider/crawler).

The clients are the ones with WiFi Sense. So in essence, a dozen Win10 devices that are configured manually to connect to the AP (not connecting from somebody else's WiFi Sense sharing) could all share authentication methods for that network to the contacts on all dozen Win10 devices.

Am I getting that right?

Bolded. Wifi-Sense is client based. You get that right? If a computer isn't running Win10, it isn't even capable of any Wifi-Sense capabilities. A wifi router isn't made "Wifi-Sense" capable. That's all strictly OS. And more strictly limited to Win10 client.

The clients are the ones with Wiif-Sense. The router is not. Hence, if the host computer never enables Wifi-Sense on it's own network, those features aren't available. It's the host computer Wifi-Sense connections that are used, not the router in any way.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by Guru

I think you missed where I said I don't use wifi sense.

I'm backing out of the conversation. I was trying to help get clarity for unlurking but instead I'm just obtuse.

Well if you don't use Wifi-Sense, then there is zero chance of anyone else sharing your SSID network key without you giving it to them. Problem solved.

[unlurking]

Originally Posted by Fish

Well if you don't use Wifi-Sense, then there is zero chance of anyone else sharing your SSID network key without you giving it to them. Problem solved.

This is what I've been trying to get to.

Guru may not use it, but if he allows a guest to connect that does use it that guest can then share the connection via WiFi Sense.

So yes, his comment about never letting anyone access his network was a valid one since he likely cannot control whether a guest uses WiFi Sense.

It's not about Guru using WiFi Sense. It is about other clients using WiFi Sense.

EDIT:
I'm going to crash. But for now I'm just going to assume that this post is correct. I don't know how many more times I can re-word the question.