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Friday, June 30, 2006

Microsoft sued over its Genuine Advantage Tool

Microsoft is facing a class action suit over its Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) tool that gathers data on users computers to detect pirated copies of its Windows.

The WGA program collects hardware and software data and sends it to Microsoft. The stored information is then used to warn of possible piracy violations.

The suit against Microsoft contends the company mislead users in delivering WGA to computers, masking it under batches of monthly updates that often include critical security patches.

Microsoft has blocked downloads of free tools such as Windows Defender but has allowed security patches for computers suspected of running pirated software.

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