A Web site posted a tool yesterday that can apparently crack Windows Vista's activation process by applying brute force -- and lots of time -- to come up with valid product keys, circumventing one of Microsoft's most important antipiracy methods.
KezNews.com posted information about, and a tool for, cranking out legitimate Windows Vista activation keys. But even though the tool churns through 20,000 keys an hour, it could take billions -- maybe trillions -- of years to work through all the possible combinations.
Microsoft said it is investigating the attack. "We're looking into this issue now," said Alex Kochis, senior product manager of WGA (Windows Genuine Advantage) , on the group's blog.
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