Windows 7 Anti-Piracy Update Now Live

Earlier this month, we detailed that Microsoft was prepping a Windows 7 Update that would improve Windows Activation Technologies to detect more than 70 known and potentially dangerous activation exploits.

Those paying attention to their Windows Update will see that the patch KB971033 is now live. It's not explicitly named anything to do with Windows Activation Technologies, as it's simply termed as an "Update for Windows 7."

Microsoft previously pointed out that this update is completely voluntary and users can decline the update when it appears (though we can't imagine why legitimate users would worry). Of course, if a hack or exploit is found, Windows 7 will alert the user by removing the desktop background and pop up periodic reminders of just how non-genuine it is feeling.

Read more about the patch here.

Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam served as Tom's Hardware News Director during 2008-2014. He entered tech media in the late 90s and fondly remembers the days when an overclocked Celeron 300A and Voodoo2 SLI comprised a gaming rig with the ultimate street cred.
  • qbnsuperman
    engadget keeps talking about this thing running in the background. I wonder how true that is. I disabled it just because of that rumor and I have a fully legitimate copy of win7 x64.
    Reply
  • the_krasno
    Tomorrow Tom's will publish how the hackers already bypassed this update.

    May the circle of cracking and patching begin!
    Reply
  • brendano257
    "potentially dangerous activation exploits." Potentially dangerous to Microsoft...now that I believe. To the user? Not so much.
    Reply
  • hellscook
    Microsoft previously pointed out that this update is completely voluntary and users can decline the update when it appears (though we can't imagine why legitimate users would worry).

    Oh? You've never seen MS screw over their own customers? I've seen WGA act up on several very legitimate machines.
    Reply
  • efeat
    The update is listed with all other windows 7 updates, however it is NOT checked by default.

    In other words, windows will not download and install this update unless you explicitly tell it to do so.

    At least, it showed up this way for me.
    Reply
  • g00ey
    I never understood what that skull is for, has someone died from software piracy?
    Reply
  • chrisjust98
    Well it doesn't even work. I know because I just installed it.
    Reply
  • dinamic
    what is windows?
    Reply
  • i downloaded this update and, I can only speak for myself, but lets just say it does not detect 100% of cracked copies of windows 7
    Reply
  • scatrdfew
    This update was check marked when I checked Windows Update today... no thanks
    Reply