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Windscribe script blocks Microsoft's persistent GDID tracking on Windows

By PulseAugur Editorial · [1 sources] ·

VPN provider Windscribe has developed an open-source script called "deGDID" to remove and block Microsoft's Global Device Identifier (GDID) tracking on Windows. The script, runnable via PowerShell, targets registry keys and modifies system permissions to prevent GDID re-creation. While effective at removing existing identifiers and blocking new ones, the deGDID script can break certain Microsoft cloud services and account authentication due to its interference with the DeviceAdd pipeline. AI

IMPACT This script addresses privacy concerns related to persistent device identifiers, potentially impacting how user data is collected and utilized across Microsoft services.

RANK_REASON A company released a script to modify system behavior.

Read on Tom's Hardware →

AI-generated summary · Google Gemini · from 1 sources. How we write summaries →

Windscribe script blocks Microsoft's persistent GDID tracking on Windows

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Tool
A company released a script to modify system behavior.
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COVERAGE [1]

  1. Tom's Hardware TIER_1 English(EN) · Hassam Nasir ·

    VPN provider built a script to block Microsoft's hidden GDID tracking on Windows — Windscribe's "deGDID" erases existing identifiers and blocks new ones from being created

    You can run the deGDID script on your computer to delete cached GDID keys and prevent Microsoft's servers from minting new ones in the background. The firewall you put up with this script will break certain Microsoft services and features, however, but you can always reverse it.

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