“Stupid JavaScript tricks” or “How to hack Microsoft ‘Genuine Advantage’”

9:08 am on 7.29.2005 Software

Via Boing Boing:

Microsoft “Genuine Advantage” cracked in 24h: window.g_sDisableWGACheck=’all’

AV sez, “This week, Microsoft started requiring users to verifiy their serial number before using Windows Update. This effort to force users to either buy XP or tell them where you got the illegal copy is called ‘Genuine Advantage.’ It was cracked within 24 hours.”

Before pressing ‘Custom’ or ‘Express’ buttons paste this text to the address bar and press enter:

javascript:void(window.g_sDisableWGACheck=’all’)

It turns off the trigger for the key check.

Okay, I’ve never been a real programmer, but even I can recognize how this is really dumb. What’s the rule again? Oh yeah, never trust input from a user.