Microsoft’s Software Protection Platform: Innovations
for Windows Vista and Windows Server “Longhorn”
Each year, approximately one out every five copies of Windows software deployed worldwide is
unlicensed or counterfeit. Piracy of this scale creates great challenges for not just Microsoft, but
the industry as a whole. In fact, the Business Software Alliance reported in May 2006 that 35% of
all software installed worldwide during 2005 was pirated or unlicensed – more than $35 billion
worth.
Consumers, businesses and other organizations are harmed by counterfeit software each year.
In an effort to both protect its users and its intellectual property, Microsoft continually invests in
technologies and programs to protect consumers from the dangers of non-genuine software. The
Genuine Software Initiative (GSI) focuses the company’s many activities and investments
directed at combating software counterfeiting and other forms of software piracy into a single
coordinated effort. The initiative focuses on increasing investments across three strategic areas:
Education, Engineering and Enforcement.
With the upcoming release of Windows Vista and Windows Server “Longhorn,” Microsoft has
increased its investments to help address this challenge. These will be among the first products
from Microsoft to take advantage of the new Software Protection Platform – an innovative
platform from Microsoft that strengthens anti-piracy technologies, better protects customers, and
improves the overall licensing experience. Customers, from the individual consumer to the largest
enterprise will benefit form the innovations in the SP Platform and will be better protected from
the risks of counterfeit software.
Windows Product Activation
The SP Platform introduces new changes into the product activation experience. “Product
activation” refers to a method where a software application merges hardware serial numbers and
an ID number specific to the product's license (a product key) to generate a unique Installation ID.
Installation IDs are sent to the manufacturer to verify the authenticity of the product key and
ensure that the key is used only once - not multiple times in multiple installations. With Windows
Vista, Microsoft offers enhanced activation security for Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM),
Retail, and Volume channels.
As with Windows XP, product activation in Windows Vista will be required and failure to activate
will result in the copy of Windows Vista being placed in a Reduced Functionality Mode (RFM).
Once a copy of Windows Vista has been placed into RFM the user has four options presented to
them at their next log on attempt: activate their existing product key; access their computer with
reduced functionality; retype their newly purchased product key; or show other ways to activate.
Computers are put into RFM if the user fails to act within a grace period established for various
scenarios. In the event that a user is placed into RFM, there are several ways to remedy it. First,
the user can simply follow the prescribed activation process. For volume customers, the user can
return to normal Windows operating mode by connecting to a KMS service to automatically renew
the activation. Finally, if the user was placed into RFM because of hardware changes they can
restore the original hardware configuration.
Regardless of how a copy of Windows is placed into RFM, a user will always have a 30-day
grace period to resolve the situation. During the 30-day grace period, reminders will pop up to
inform the user that they must activate within the specified time period, or else they will lose
Windows functionality. During the last three days of the grace period, these reminders are shown
to the user with increasing frequency.
Windows Vista also will feature a software protection technology that helps to prevent the copy of
legitimately licensed Windows Vista software onto non-licensed computers by associating the
Windows operating system to the firmware of the physical computer.
When the end-user boots the OEM version of Windows Vista Business, the product key is
validated and the signature of the Windows certificate is verified using the public key embedded
on the hard drive. If all steps are successful, end user activation is not necessary, as the process
has verified that the hardware is running licensed Windows Vista software. However, if a
prohibited product key is detected or if the user has failed to activate their product within 30 days
of the first Windows start up, then the copy of Windows is restricted to reduced functionality
mode.
Volume Activation 2.0
Microsoft is introducing Volume Activation 2.0 in Windows Vista, a new form of product activation
that requires activation of each Enterprise and Volume License Business machine. It is designed
to provide increased protection for customer volume license keys as well as flexible deployment
options for customers.
Through Volume Activation 2.0, Microsoft customers will have two ways to activate Windows
Vista and Windows Server “Longhorn”. In the first method, a single licensing key called a Multiple
Activation Key (MAK) can be used to activate multiple Windows Vista and Windows Server
“Longhorn” operating systems. Machines can either activate the MAK directly against Microsoft's
servers or have one centralized PC issue the activation request. Client machines only require a
one-time activation. A Key Management Service (KMS), the second method of activation, does
not require any direct communication with Microsoft's servers; systems must be activated against
one centralized server hosted by the business itself. Every 180 days, client systems must activate
the key against the KMS server, making this option ideal for environments where users are
constantly connected to a company's network.
Administrators will be able to generate reports on software activation using a provided reporting
tool, a Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) pack, or a non-Microsoft license auditing tool.
These tools utilize published properties and events. By knowing the number of activated products
in their environment, administrators can monitor volume license usage and know when to budget
for additional licenses. And, using the Windows Vista Business Desktop Deployment (BDD)
tools, which include full technical guidance on VA 2.0, administrators can prepare reference
systems for image capture. Windows can be activated using scripts after systems are imaged,
providing automation of activation and reducing administrative effort.
The Genuine Windows Vista Experience
In addition to providing protection from counterfeit software, and improving the activation
experience, the Software Protection Platform also has a set of technologies that are used to
determine whether a copy of Windows Vista is genuine or not. When the SP Platform detects an
invalid product key, tampered key or a hacked activation process, it will set the copy of Windows
Vista to be in a non-genuine state and require the user to reactivate.
With Windows Vista, when the SP Platform determines a copy of Windows Vista to be nongenuine, some product features will be disabled. At no point will a user lose access to their
personal data based on the genuine program, nor is personal data ever transferred to Microsoft.
However, it will be obvious to a user, and anyone else viewing their PC, that their PC experience
is not equivalent to that of a user running a genuine copy of Windows Vista.
In addition, there will be key features reserved for customers who use genuine Windows Vista
which taken together provide a more productive, more secure and overall better user experience.
Key features reserved for genuine Windows Vista customers include:
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Windows Defender – protects against malicious adware and spyware
Windows Aero – provides a visually striking, high-performing desktop experience
Windows ReadyBoost – allows rapid access to flash memory devices
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Download Center and Windows Update – offers access to hundreds of downloads and
updates available to Windows Vista, as well as new versions of PC favorites Windows
Media Player and Internet Explorer
More information can be found here: [link to whitepaper]