![victim software counterfeiting windows 7 victim software counterfeiting windows 7](https://cdn.msguides.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/remove-you-may-be-a-victim-of-software-counterfeiting-notification-1.png)
I suppose it's only malware if you're a pirate.
#Victim software counterfeiting windows 7 install#
You'll have to install some kind of questionable third-party hack to get around it. This isn't just a service you can disable, or a process you can kill in task manager, either. This is all courtesy of the mandatory "Windows Genuine Advantage Notification" service that is being delivered now through Windows Update. Microsoft does provide so-called "critical" updates to all Windows machines, regardless of whether or not they're genuine. Otherwise those vulnerable machines will eventually be compromised and potentially used in denial of service attacks and other nefarious schemes. Microsoft is socially obligated to provide critical security updates to pirated machines. The language here is a little misleading. To protect your computer, you must click Get Genuine now. This computer is no longer eligible to receive select security upgrades from Microsoft. This copy of Windows is not genuine and you have not resolved the issue. The warnings also get more dire as time progresses: On top of that, you get a repeating balloon notification that nags you periodically while you use the operating system: Microsoft has finally activated the most aggressive part of their Windows Genuine Advantage program - active notifications.Īfter downloading the latest Windows updates, if your Windows cd-key doesn't validate against Microsoft's online database of cd-keys, you may be greeted with this unpleasant five-second mandatory delay dialog at the login page: You may be a victim of software counterfeiting.