Once Windows 7 Build 7127 left Redmond and was offered to a limited number of third-party testers it was just a matter of time before the bits found their way into the wild. A couple of days ago the first pieces of information and screenshots of the RTM-branch development were unveiled. Subsequently, the actual Windows 7 Build 7127.0.090507-1820 releases were leaked and are now available for download from various prominent sources of illegal software, including torrent trackers. Windows 7 Build 7127, a post-Release Candidate milestone, belongs to the RTM branch of the next iteration of Windows client, and was offered by the Redmond company via Microsoft Connect. The bits have not been served to the public through the company's official channels.

Both the x86 and x64 flavors of Windows 7 Build 7127, packaged as ISO images, are up for grabs for users with a BitTorrent client. Per the information already leaked, the 64-bit version is labeled 7127.0.090507-1820_x64fre_client_en-us_Retail_Ultimate-GRMCULXFRER_EN_DVD.iso and is accompanied by the following information: CRC: 460FAD4E, MD5: F805A6595DDC6D 12956588BB0F1B9B83, and SHA1: 9BEB69BE3C2D113ECEB944145951A 2123FBBBBF8. 32-bit Windows 7 Build 7127 is 7127.0.090507-1820 _x86fre_client_en-us_Retail_Ultimate-GRMCULFRER_EN_DVD.iso (CRC: F691687F, MD5: 4045CB2A8E50B65ED9E1C2B8D6026B2F, and SHA1: F2D615E674B64053D299CFA5E80B777269F0DFF2).

While Windows 7 Build 7127 has been indeed leaked and made available for download, users should understand the risks inherent with accessing, installing and running the bits offered by non-Microsoft sources. Security researchers from Damballa and Trend Micro have revealed that pirated/leaked copies of Windows 7 Release Candidate Build 7100 were infested with malicious code, specifically a Trojan horse designed to hand over user machines to the authors of the malware. The Trojan horse built into Windows 7 RC transformed the infected PCs into zombie computers and was building a botnet under the attacker's control.

“We’ve seen reports of illegitimate distributions of the release candidate of our latest Windows operating system, Windows 7, being offered in a way that is designed to infect a customer’s PC with malware. This is why it’s so important for customers to get their copies of Windows from a trusted source,” explained Joe Williams, general manager, Worldwide Genuine Windows at Microsoft.

On May 5th, 2009, the Redmond company started offering Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) to the public – downloads are here; activation product keys via this link.