In July 2005, Microsoft unleashed Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA), which required users of Microsoft's Windows Update, Microsoft Update and Microsoft Download pages to install the first component of WGA, subsequently dubbed WGA Validation. One of the first pieces of software requiring a WGA check was Windows Defender. At that time, Microsoft began requiring that you either install WGA Validation or not use any of Microsoft's download sites. (It was still possible to get Microsoft's security patches through Windows XP's Automatic Updates without installing WGA Validation.)

WGA Validation is a piece of code that runs in Windows and that determines all on its own whether the installed copy of Windows it's running in might have been pirated or improperly authorized. Earlier this year, Microsoft delivered the second component of WGA, called WGA Notifications. Its purpose is to inform the user that WGA Validation has found a problem with the installed copy of Windows. It also tries to help the user find a solution, including asking for money to relicense Windows.

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