Media Center Key Accidentally Gives Pirates Free Windows 8 Pro License

[wraggster]

In an amusing twist that undoubtedly spells the end of some hapless manager's career, Microsoft has accidentally gifted pirates with a free, fully-functioning Windows 8 license key. As you have probably surmised, this isn't intentional — Microsoft hasn't suddenly decided to give pirates an early Christmas present (though the $40 upgrade deal from Windows 8 Release Preview is something of a pirate amnesty). ... The bug involves the Key Management Service, which is part of Microsoft's Volume Licensing system. Pirates have already hacked the KMS to activate Windows 8 for 180 days — but this is just a partial activation. Now it turns out that the free Media Center Pack license keys that Microsoft is giving out until January 31 2013 can be used on a KMS-activated copy of Windows 8 to turn it into a fully licensed copy of Windows 8 Pro (http://www.extremetech.com/computing/141052-microsoft-accidentally-gifts-pirates-with-a-free-windows-8-pro-license-key).

http://tech.slashdot.org/story/12/11/21/1527205/media-center-key-accidentally-gives-pirates-free-windows-8-pro-license