A group of hackers has made headlines with a significant advancement in the realm of Windows and Office piracy, introducing a method that permanently activates a majority of Microsoft products while effectively circumventing the digital rights management (DRM) system. Surprisingly, Microsoft appears to be maintaining a level of indifference towards this development.
The Massgrave hacker group, known for its innovative tools for activating Windows and Office, has rolled out a new technique dubbed the TSforge Activation method. This approach not only enables permanent activation of various Windows and Office versions but also facilitates updates for Windows 10 beyond the official end of support slated for October 2025. The group previously launched the Microsoft Activation Scripts (MAS) project in 2024, claiming to have successfully dismantled Microsoft’s DRM protections. The latest MAS 3.0 update introduces the TSforge Activation method alongside enhancements and bug fixes to existing activation scripts.
How does TSforge Activation work?
The hackers assert that TSforge stands as one of the most comprehensive tools available for hacking Windows and Office. In a detailed blog post, they elaborated on the intricacies of the Microsoft activation system and its vulnerabilities.
At the core of Microsoft’s protection strategy is the Software Protection Platform (SPP), which comprises several components. Activation data is stored in two pivotal files: data.dat, which serves as the “physical storage” for activation, and tokens.dat, designated for “token storage.” The TSforge method cleverly replaces these files with counterfeit data, tricking the SPP into accepting a fraudulent product key or verification code as legitimate. This ingenious workaround allows users to bypass all verifications without needing to connect to Microsoft servers.
Currently, TSforge enables the activation of the following software products:
- Windows 7 and later versions, including Windows Server (2008 R2 – 2025)
- Office 2013-2024 office suites, applicable only on Windows 8 and later versions
Beyond standard activation, users can unlock commercial features of Windows, such as Extended Security Updates (ESU) for Windows 7-10. Moreover, the same method that was previously utilized for Windows 7 can now be employed to continue updating Windows 10.
And what about Microsoft?
Microsoft has been aware of the existence of Windows activators for quite some time but has yet to implement any substantial measures to counteract them. The hackers from Massgrave have even commended the company, acknowledging that the SPP represents a significant improvement over the outdated and “poorly designed” DRM mechanisms of Windows XP.
Interestingly, the Microsoft Activation Scripts (MAS) project is an open-source initiative hosted on GitHub, a platform owned by Microsoft itself. The hackers contend that they are not technically infringing upon any regulations, asserting that their tool serves as an alternative activation method that could potentially be utilized by Microsoft employees in urgent situations.
