Beware of fake Windows 10 “activators”

The considerable interest users have shown for testing Microsoft’s Windows 10 Technical Preview version has not passed unnoticed by cyber scammers and malware peddlers.

Malwarebytes’ Chris Boyd warns about several different tactics used by these crooks in order to make users complete surveys or download potentially unwanted applications.

Several YouTube video pages have been spotted offering “activating” tools for “unlocking” the Technical Preview version in order to activate the “full” Windows 10 version.

The same offer can be found on a number of dedicated websites such as this one (which is still active as I write this):

“Windows 10 Gamer Edition” is also being pushed on Youtube.

The goal of most of these scams is to make the user download unwanted programs that use the victim’s computer to make money, usually by surreptitiously clicking on ads, or by downloading additional unwanted software or – worse! – malware.

Occasionally, some of them make the victims complete a number of online surveys in order to download the software.