Microsoft’s End-User License Agreement

A software license agreement must be accepted prior to the installation of any Microsoft Windows product. The software license agreement contains the Microsoft Software License Terms and is also referred to as the End-User License Agreement (EULA). It is important to read the EULA before accepting it—don’t just blindly choose the “I accept” option. Each edition of Windows ships with a specific version of the EULA; so, it is important to know the contents of the EULA for each edition of Windows present in your environment.

The Windows install folder or the Microsoft website contains the EULA. To find the EULA on a computer with Windows currently installed:

  1. Click the Start button, and then, in the Start menu, click My Computer.

  2. Under Hard Disk Drives, double-click the drive where Windows is installed. This is often the drive labeled (C:).

  3. Double-click the Windows folder, double-click the System32 folder, double-click the en-US folder, double-click the Licenses folder, and then double-click the Default folder.

  4. Double-click the folder that corresponds to the edition of Windows that’s installed on your computer, and then double-click License.

To find the EULA for any edition of Windows:

  1. Open a web browser, such as Internet Explorer.

  2. Enter the following address: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/useterms/.

  3. Enter the requested information for:

    1. How the software was acquired

    2. Product name

    3. Version

    4. Language

  4. Select the link for the desired EULA document.

There are a few sections of the Windows EULA that are of interest to security personnel. Make sure you read the following sections fully and are prepared to agree with Microsoft’s statements before accepting the agreement. TABLE 1-1 highlights the sections of the EULA that are of most interest to security personnel.

TABLE 1-1 Security-Related Sections of the Microsoft EULA
EULA SECTION DESCRIPTION
Updates Windows periodically checks for updates to installed operating system and application components. When found, these updates may be downloaded and installed automatically. By accepting this agreement, you permit these updates to be applied without further notice.
Additional Notices—Networks, Data, and Internet Usage Microsoft provides Internet-based services with Windows and may transmit information. This section of the EULA provides details of services and potential information that may be transmitted, i.e., details about system information resulting from a crashed program. Windows will optionally send information to Microsoft in an effort to find a resolution for the problem that caused the program to crash.
Limited Warranty Only the purchase price of Windows can be recovered, regardless of any damages incurred as a result of a Windows fault or incident. This clause alone provides an excellent reason for security personnel to protect organizations by securing all Windows environments.
Exclusions from Limited Warranty The cost of a Windows license cannot be recovered if an organization suffers damages caused by its personnel.

© Jones & Bartlett Learning.

In summary, the EULA states that it is your responsibility to secure all Windows platforms.

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