TSforge – A New Tool Exploits Every Version of Windows Activation

Security researchers from MASSGRAVE have introduced TSforge, an innovative tool that takes advantage of vulnerabilities within Microsoft’s Software Protection Platform (SPP). This groundbreaking development enables the activation of every Windows version from Windows 7 onward, alongside various Office suites and add-ons.

This exploit represents a significant milestone, marking the first successful direct assault on SPP’s core cryptographic defenses since the platform was first implemented in Windows Vista.

At the heart of SPP lies a system of encrypted “trusted stores” designed to validate the activation status of the software. These trusted stores are stored in various locations depending on the Windows version:

• data.dat/tokens.dat files (Windows 8 and later)
• 7B296FB0-… registry-backed files (Windows 7)
• HKLMSYSTEMWPA keys (all versions)

The breakthrough achieved by TSforge stemmed from reverse-engineering SPP’s private key infrastructure, utilizing leaked Windows 8 beta builds. Researchers at MassGrave discovered that by altering these trusted stores with forged activation data, they could effectively deceive SPP into accepting permanent licenses, all while bypassing RSA-2048/AES-CBC encryption.

Breaking SPP’s Cryptographic Chain

The exploit fundamentally relies on extracting SPP’s production RSA private key, which Microsoft employs to sign activation blobs. By simulating ExecCodes—an obscure bytecode interpreter found in sppsvc.exe—the researchers were able to derive the private exponent through addition-chain exponentiation:

# Simplified simulation of ExecCodes modular exponentiation
def mod_exp(base, exponent, modulus):
    result = 1
    while exponent > 0:
        if exponent % 2 == 1:
            result = (result * base) % modulus
        base = (base  2) % modulus
        exponent = exponent // 2
    return result

privatekey = modexp(encrypted_blob, d, n)  # d/n from SPP's key

This process enabled the decryption of the AES key safeguarding data.dat. Once decrypted, TSforge can inject:

1. Zeroed HWID hashes (B25D3E80...) to circumvent hardware fingerprint checks
2. Precomputed product key blobs that emulate KMS/MAK activations
3. Timestamped license metadata with validity windows extending over 4000 years

The tool’s versatility is underscored by its compatibility across different Windows versions, effectively manipulating both Windows 7’s spsys.sys driver architecture and Windows 10’s unified sppsvc.exe.

While Microsoft has yet to issue a statement regarding this exploit, enterprise clients utilizing KMS are advised to scrutinize their activation logs for 0xC004F200 spoofed status codes.

Although MASSGRAVE has not made TSforge publicly available, their research highlights critical vulnerabilities within SPP’s “validate once, trust forever” paradigm. As the end-of-life for Windows 10 approaches in 2025, this exploit could significantly influence enterprise licensing strategies, compelling Microsoft to reevaluate its approach to activation security from the ground up.

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