Microsoft Confirms Undisableable Windows GDID Device Identifier Used by FBI
Microsoft Confirms Windows GDID Device Identifier That Cannot Be Disabled
Microsoft has officially confirmed the existence of the Global Device Identifier, a persistent ID assigned to Windows installations linked to Microsoft Accounts that cannot be disabled without breaking activation. The FBI recently used this hidden identifier to track a hacker across multiple countries and VPNs, sparking privacy concerns among researchers who note the lack of user consent or controls compared to Apple and Android.
Security researcher Matthew Hickey has characterized Windows as surveillance software in response to the case.
- hughw
User nashashmi [1]:
So this kid uses his home computer at his home, and they trace him down with
the IP address, and the IP address also makes a request for Windows Updates.
And that narrows down the Device ID. The device id is now traced to this kid.
That seems more likely, I hope, than Edge/Windows secretly telemetering your GDID and every URL you visit to Redmond. It's a huge privacy hole still, but they can plausibly deny they set out to track you across the web using their OS.
- 14u2c
> The ID is generated when Windows is set up with a Microsoft Account
So not only was this “hacker” using Windows and Edge, they singed in to windows with a Microsoft account. And then used that same computer for their social media. Nice.
- 1970-01-01
>The Global Device Identifier (GDID) is a permanent ID assigned when Windows provisions against a Microsoft Account.
So again, the "make an account" is the part you ALWAYS skip. Local accounts or it technically isn't even a PC anymore.
- londons_explore
How exactly does Microsoft link their gdid to a hotel booking?
Hotels last I saw don't collect an obscure gdid...
Did this victim use edge and sync their browser history or something perhaps?
- AlienRobot
They caught a 19 year old hacker that uses Edge, and all it took was the privacy of 1.4 billion Windows users.