14 DAY TRIAL // We’ve already told you that software pirates are already cracking Windows 8 apps, but a Nokia engineer has released a detailed step-by-step guide on how to do this on any Windows 8 computer.
And although that’s not good news for Microsoft, the Redmond-based technology titan told us in a statement that seeing “hackers” try to crack Windows 8 apps is no surprise. That’s why the company actually struggled to make Windows 8 a lot more secure when it comes to the available software.
“Any successful software distribution channel faces the challenge of being targeted by people wishing to circumvent the system for ill-gotten gains, and we’re committed to ongoing protection of both customer and developer interests,” a Microsoft spokesperson told us.
“Just as they have with other platforms, hackers are proposing ways to compromise the integrity of apps, which can have lots of negative consequences to the system and the customer experience. We have taken a variety of extra measures to help harden Windows 8.”
While Microsoft is yet to disclose the “variety of extra measures” implemented to harden Windows 8, software pirates continue to crack apps by converting the trial versions into full-featured software.
Of course, Microsoft will most likely block these attempts with a future Windows 8 update, but it’s just another sign that the new OS has the same fate as all its predecessors. At least when it comes to piracy.
Microsoft, on the other hand, struggles to make sure that piracy won’t affect Windows 8 sales in the same way it affected other Windows versions and came down to several unprecedented moves.
China, for example, received the new Windows 8 only in the form of an online download distributed via the official Microsoft website, and retail boxes won’t be available in the country for the time being.