MS Skullduggery

[topdrop]

Microsoft has just released a new patch to their operating system, and they are pushing the update out to all users.

The patch, entitled the Genuine Advantage Notification tool , sounds somewhat suspicious. So, being somewhat currious, I check the patch to see what it actually contains:

The Windows Genuine Advantage Notification tool notifies

Comments

[mlleglass]

Ahahahahahahah that's amazing. the best part is a lot of people will actually install that of their own free will because they just don't know any better.

[thiess]

Where did you discover this?

[topdrop]

Well, you set XP to check for updates, but not to install them automatically.

It will prompt you if it finds any new patches, you have a chance to figure out what they are before they are deployed.

[maymaym]

For the record, in many cases, even if you do set the updates to install automatically, they won't. I call it a "Feature", but apparently others call this a bug.

[topdrop]

True... In many cases the automatic updates requires that the user must hit a button to explicitly agree to the update. I guess microsoft requires a minimal level of consent before it shuts down your system.

It is amazing how hard it can be to distinguish windows bugs from Microsoft's vague half hearted attempts at ethics.