Beginning on April 25, 2006, Microsoft's Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications application was installed on most Windows PCs as a "critical security update". While the main purpose of this deliberately uninstallable application is to ensure the copy of Windows on the machine was lawfully purchased and installed, it also installs software that has been accused of "phoning home" on a daily basis, like spyware.Weinstein, Lauren. Windows XP update may be classified as 'spyware' , Lauren Weinstein's Blog, June 5, 2006. Retrieved June 13, 2006.Evers, Joris. Microsoft's antipiracy tool phones home daily , CNET, June 7, 2006. Retrieved August 31, 2014. It can be removed with the RemoveWGA tool.
Beginning on April 25, 2006, Microsoft's Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications application was installed on most Windows PCs as a "critical security update". While the main purpose of this deliber.ately uninstallable application is to ensure the copy of Windows on the machine was lawfully purchased and installed, it also installs software that has been accused of "phoning home" on a daily basis, like spyware.Weinstein, Lauren. Windows XP update may be classified as 'spyware' , Lauren Weinstein's Blog, June 5, 2006 Retrieved June 13, 2006.Evers, Joris. Microsoft's antipiracy tool phones home daily , CNET, June 7, 2006. Retrieved August 31, 2014. It can be removed with the RemoveWGA tool.