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Microsoft ready to sue you for activating too many pirated Windows and Office products

Published Dec 8th, 2014 7:30PM EST
Microsoft Windows and Office Illegal Activations

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Even though Microsoft doesn’t really take action against all the pirated Windows and Office versions in use out there, the company is ready to go to court when it detects certain usage patterns related to illegal Windows and Office activations. Torrent Freak reports that Microsoft has already filed a complaint against persons behind an AT&T subscription who have activated multiple pirated copies of Windows 7 and Office 10.

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Microsoft has a cyberforensics team in place that’s tracking such suspicious activities. In this case the team has identified “a number of product key activations from IP address 76.245.7.147, which is presently assigned to ISP AT&T Internet Services,” the complaint reads.

These Windows 7 and Office 10 copies have been activated using suspicious keys that have apparently been “stolen from Microsoft’s supply chain, used without permission from the refurbisher channel, and used more often than the license permits,” as the publication points out.

Earlier in October, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella addressed piracy, suggesting that the company doesn’t really mind if that’s how certain users get to experience Microsoft products. “Well, we’ve always had freemium. Sometimes our freemium was called piracy,” Nadella said. But the company apparently won’t tolerate pirates activating more than a decent number of illegal products at a time.

Microsoft’s full complaint is available at the link in the source section below.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.