Microsoft has changed a feature found in its Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) software after receiving complaints about the program's daily check-ins with the company's servers. Now, the tool will dial home in 14-day intervals instead of after every system boot.
The frequency of the tool's contact with Microsoft was initially reported by Lauren Weinstein, cofounder of People for Internet Responsibility, who posted his findings on a blog and compared the tool to spyware. Weinstein noticed that even on Windows XP systems that WGA already had verified as legitimate, the tool will attempt to contact Microsoft every time the PC is booted.
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