I was researching the activation scheme behind Windows Vista OEM computers. Computers with pre-installed Windows Vista have a special license embedded in their ACPI BIOS, called SLIC table. This kind of a hardware-based activation scheme was designed to prevent software piracy. Nonetheless, there's a way to create a SLIC table in the BIOS with the help of software. This method is sometimes called SoftMod or just Vista Loader.
Using the SoftMod method, one can insert the SLIC signature of a certain hardware manufacturer into the BIOS and apply a copy of a license file (*.xrm-ms), then have Windows Vista activated. The first SLIC code that was leaked widely belongs to the (infamous) ASUS notebook manufacturer. After ASUS, more and more SLIC codes have been discovered and exploited.
Obviously, using a SLIC code that's spread and used widely makes it vulnerable to Windows updates that are designed to defeat circumventive measures against software activation. Therefore, uncommon SLIC signatures are better than the common ones. Vista Loader 3.0.0.1 includes OEM BIOS emulation codes of the following vendors:
- AMD
- AMD64
- Acer
- Asus
- COMPAQ
- Dell
- Emachines
- Fujitsu-Siemens
- Gateway
- Hewlett-Packard
- Intel
- Levono
- Medion
- NEC
- Packard Bell
- Samsung
- Sony
- Toshiba
Among these vendors, MEDION seems to be the most obscure one. Anyway, I found more vendor SLIC codes by downloading AMI_SLIC3_20080419.rar.
No comments:
Post a Comment