This is what KMSPico is trying to exploit. However, a KMS set-up is only viable for large organizations with Volume Licensed (VL) Microsoft products. Once KMS clients are validated, the Microsoft product on those clients contacts the server every 180 days (6 months) to maintain its validity. There is even a Microsoft document on creating a KMS activation host.Ī KMS client connects to a KMS server (the activation host), which contains the host key the client uses for activation. KMS is a legitimate way to activate Windows licenses in client computers, especially en masse (volume activation). To understand how KMSPico works, we should first understand how a KMS activation works. It does exist, and the latest version, 10.2.0, can only be downloaded from a members-only forum posted almost a decade ago.

This tool, however, is far from mythical. Whatever KMSPico “official” website you find in your search results is undoubtedly fake, which leaves people wondering-or probably even believing-that KMSPico is a myth. Searching for “official KMSpico site” on your favorite search engine will yield thousands of results, including pages of posts from various portals warning internet users not to download KMSPico from Website A or Website B as its malware. Funnily enough, it also seems to have a lot of 'official websites.' KMSPico is one of the most (if not the most) popular software activation tools for Windows and Office Suite, with millions of global users and endorsers.

Here are some of Malwarebytes’ detection of such tools:

KMSPico (often stylized as KMSPICO or KMS Pico) uses an unofficial key management services (KMS) server to activate Microsoft products-although several hack tools already do the same. In this post, we’ll focus on one hack tool that has been a trusted tool for activating pirated copies of Microsoft products for free: KMSPico. Many seek such tools in the hopes of getting more control over their devices, or out of necessity if the software they want to use requires them. This is why the term “hack tool” is often interchanged with “crack tool” and “rooting program.” Hack tools are often used to root devices in order to (among others) remove barriers that stop users from using apps from other markets.

Thanks to Pieter Arntz and the Threat Intelligence Team who contributed to the research.Ī hack tool is a program that allows users to activate software even without a legitimate, purchased key.

Microsoft office kmspico