security updates

Winsage
February 21, 2025
A group of developers called Massgrave has hacked Microsoft's activation tools for Windows and Office, uploading PowerShell scripts to GitHub that allow users to activate Windows and perpetual-license Office versions without paying licensing fees. Their tool, TSforge, supports activation for Windows versions 7, 8.x, 10, and 11, as well as Office versions from 2010 onward, excluding Microsoft 365 subscriptions. The scripts require minimal technical expertise and have been tested successfully on fresh installations of Windows 11 and updated Windows 10 machines. Massgrave acknowledges their actions as piracy and does not accept donations, emphasizing the ethical implications. The safety of the scripts is questioned, as there is a risk of malicious actors cloning their work. Microsoft is aware of the situation and plans to take action against unauthorized use of their software.
Winsage
February 21, 2025
A hacker group called Massgrave has developed a method named TSforge Activation that permanently activates most Microsoft products and bypasses the digital rights management (DRM) system. This method allows updates for Windows 10 beyond its official end of support in October 2025. The group previously launched the Microsoft Activation Scripts (MAS) project in 2024, claiming to dismantle Microsoft’s DRM protections. The TSforge method works by replacing activation data files with counterfeit data, tricking the Software Protection Platform (SPP) into accepting fraudulent product keys. TSforge currently enables activation for Windows 7 and later versions, including Windows Server (2008 R2 – 2025), and Office 2013-2024 on Windows 8 and later. It also unlocks commercial features like Extended Security Updates for Windows 7-10. Despite being aware of these activators, Microsoft has not taken significant action against them. The MAS project is open-source and hosted on GitHub. The hackers argue that their tool could be used as an alternative activation method in urgent situations.
Winsage
February 21, 2025
Mozilla has extended support for Firefox 115 ESR on unsupported versions of Windows, including Windows 7, 8, and 8.1, until March 2025. Initially set to end support in September 2024, Mozilla reassessed the situation due to the continued presence of users on Windows 7 and decided to extend support for an additional six months. Mozilla plans to reassess its support strategy in August of this year. Meanwhile, the latest versions of Firefox, including version 135 on the Release Channel and version 128 on the Extended Support Release Channel, are available for users on newer operating systems.
Winsage
February 19, 2025
The Massgrave team has released version 3.0 of their Microsoft Activation Scripts (MAS), introducing TSforge, which allows activation of all Windows editions from version 7 onward and all Office versions since Office 2013. MAS can activate commercial Windows licenses, including the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for certain Windows 7 to 10 editions. The tool is open-source and targets the Software Protection Platform (SPP) directly. MAS is hosted on GitHub, and despite its association with software piracy, Microsoft has not intervened in its availability. The Massgrave team has documented their processes for educational purposes and acknowledges the SPP as an advanced DRM system compared to earlier versions.
Winsage
February 19, 2025
Mozilla has extended support for its Firefox browser on Windows 7 and 8.1 until September 2025. This follows the introduction of its Extended Support Release (ESR) branch in May 2023, which initially promised 15 months of security updates after Microsoft's cessation of support for these operating systems. The ESR release calendar now indicates that support for Firefox 115 ESR will continue for Windows 7 and 8.1, as well as macOS versions 10.12 to 10.14. Mozilla will re-evaluate this decision in August 2025. While security updates will continue for the ESR releases, new features will only be available on currently supported operating systems. Users are encouraged to consider upgrading to Windows 11 for enhanced security and functionality.
Winsage
February 18, 2025
Over 44 percent of gamers are using Windows 10, while 55 percent have transitioned to Windows 11, according to a Steam survey from January 2025. Microsoft will cease official support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, which will result in no new security updates. Windows 11 has been available as a free upgrade for Windows 10 users, but many older PCs do not meet its hardware requirements. The most prevalent graphics card among Steam users is the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060, and the most common storage capacity exceeds 1TB, with users typically having between 100GB to 249GB of free space.
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