deGDID: A Tool to Strip Microsoft's Hidden Device ID
Deletes all instances of Microsoft's GDID and prevents minting of new ones
Microsoft's Global Device Identifier (GDID) is a server-assigned tracking ID that Windows can mint even for local accounts. The open-source tool deGDID removes existing GDIDs and blocks the DeviceAdd path, preventing new ones. It targets unmanaged personal PCs, validated on Windows 11 25H2, and warns on other builds. The tool also documents the GDID lifecycle and includes lab evidence of over 33 hours of protection.
A local Windows account does not prevent that machine-level mint.
- userbinator
"The mutation path", "the fully lab-validated line. Other accepted builds warn.", "Status can still inspect", "command, verdict, exit code", "device-identity rehydrate sources", "the network gate", "real-shaped PUID"?
WTF.
That was extremely difficult to read. I'm assuming it's LLMese (I've had less trouble with reading the writing of ESL'ers), but one of the strangest dialects of it I've ever seen. It has the flavour of article-spun SEO spam and those shady fake research papers with "tortured phrases". What causes this obfuscated writing style?
- hypfer
Wouldn't it make more sense to instead use the same GDID on thousands of hosts?
Or a random GDID on each read?
No GDID sounds like it sticks out a lot more.
- isdononthephone
What's the intersection between the GDID schizos and those who believe Microsoft should be forced to collect your child's birth date and provide it to any app or site that asks for it?
- IronWolve
<Gov AI> this user keeps hitting our instances with no GDID, better look into it.
- cadamsdotcom
Sharing in the hope it helps even one person on the fence to convert.
C. 2012 I swore never to use Windows again, and I've managed it! It is possible - macOS is really good (you'll have to unlearn your muscle memory of the Ctrl key) and Linux gaming has come a long way.
If using Windows professionally, consider installing it in a VM on your mac or linux box, then asking your agent to set up scripts that remote to to it (eg. via ssh) and do the required tasks (builds, headless test-runs etc) - remotely.
Offtopic for the GDID thing; but couldn't be more on topic if you think the market shouldn't tolerate GDIDs and such things.