Security experts are warning surfers not to be tempted by 'cracked' versions of Windows Vista, which are being offered as downloads on some websites for free.
The downloads often contain malware rather than the operating system, which has not yet been officially released, according to security firm DriveSentry.
Microsoft recently claimed that it had made Vista 'uncrackable', meaning that hackers wouldn't be able to distribute it illegally over the internet or by other means.
However, it seems some hackers took this assertion to be a challenge, and they have set about disproving Microsoft.
"By claiming it has locked down Vista, Microsoft has effectively issued an open invitation to the hacking community to prove it wrong,? said John Safa, chief architect at DriveSentry.
Whether or not they succeed is not the most important issue, according to DriveSentry, as people are bound to be tempted by the prospect of downloading Vista for free. However, they are more likely to end up with serious problems rather than a brand new operating system.
?There's real money to be lost in this high stakes game, and the rules have completely changed. Today's malware threat has evolved into a destructive force that outpaces even the best anti-virus signatures, leaving consumers' personal data completely exposed," warned Safa.
Microsoft has an anti-piracy scheme known as Windows Genuine Advantage which enables it to tell if someone is using an unofficial copy of Windows. However, it enraged privacy groups last year by installing an application on customers PCs which some believed to be spyware.
http://www.drivesentry.com/ http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/
Topic: Hackers set sights on Windows Vista (Read 566 times)