A recent Microsoft update to Windows XP, which modifies the tool that verifies the "validity" of XP installations to insure that they are not illicit, may itself be considered to be spyware under commonly accepted definitions.

The new version of the "Microsoft Genuine Advantage" tool reportedly will repeatedly nag users of systems it declares to be invalid, and will then apparently deny such users various "non-critical" updates. Apparently various parties have already found ways to bypass this tool, though the effects of this on later updating capabilities remain to be seen.

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