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Why it may be a better idea to buy a windows key than to pirate Windows and where to get one

Saturday, 13 August 2022, 03:27 EDT

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Legal Implications

While some methods of pirating Windows might work and may even be effective, there may be real legal implications of doing so. More often than not users, like yourself have their Microsoft accounts linked to their Windows installation. This means that if Microsoft serves an update that detects that your version is not genuine… then they also know who you are! They may start poking around as to why it’s not genuine and if they really felt like it they could take legal proceedings against you, such as reporting you to authorities for a software-compliance audit.

Software Piracy claims

If someone reports your business you could face a software-compliance audit. If your business is found to be pirating Windows, then your business may face huge fines and if you’re a business, it could potentially lead to you having to close doors forever as a result. Is it worth it over a mere $20 it may cost you to just buy a cheap windows key?

Malware Prevention

Malware; It always has been and still is one of the most popular ways to distribute malware. Common ways to pirate Windows is through Microsoft activation scripts commonly referred to as “MAS”.

This software is obviously not regulated and does not have a software certificate attached so there is no way to be sure of its authenticity.

More about Software Publishing Certificates

Software publishing certificates assign the developer’s identity to the distributed software and the software can’t be edited without corrupting this certificate. This ensures that developers only distribute safe software as they are personally responsible for any damage caused by that software. There are obvious reasons why pirates can’t attach software certificates. It’s because then the afflicted companies will come after them. Nevertheless, this puts you at risk because even if the pirate tool is authentic, there’s no way to know whether or not you’re getting the original version, anyone could simply add malware on top and redistribute without having to worry about violating a publishers certificate. This is why you need to turn off your anti-virus to install pirated software, It’s not just because Microsoft is money hungry!

Where should I get a Windows Key?

OEM Vs Retail

When sourcing Windows keys it’s important to make sure you’re getting a retail key and not an “OEM” key. OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer, these keys are meant for manufacturers who are building computers and distributing them, if you’ve built a computer yourself and it’s been activated with an OEM key then you will face similar repercussions as a pirate in the case of a software-compliance audit. Some people may also scare you away from buying cheap retail window keys. However, redistributed retail versions of Windows are protected by laws built around the concept of the First-sale doctrine. Once you buy a retail Windows key, that is yours, you’re allowed to do whatever you want with it, including resale. So you’re fully within your rights to buy a retail key from another source besides Microsoft, contrary to what they might want you to believe.

G2A selling OEM Windows keys
Stay Away!