ChatGPT is an incredibly capable piece of tech, with a huge number of interesting uses. But, perhaps inevitably, people have put it to use for less noble purposes. Now, someone has used it to generate valid Windows license keys for free.
YouTuber Enderman recently conducted an experiment using ChatGPT to generate license keys for Windows 95. As Windows 95 is an outdated operating system with no support, Enderman’s aim was purely out of curiosity and not an attempt to crack newer versions of Microsoft’s operating systems, such as Windows 11.
The reason why Windows 95 was chosen is that it uses a simpler key validation method than modern versions of Windows, making it easier to create valid keys. It is worth noting that ChatGPT typically rejects attempts at piracy, and any request to generate a valid Windows 11 key is met with an ethical and legal disclaimer. ChatGPT does not have access to such information as it is an AI language model designed to assist users in generating content through language.
Surprisingly easy to do
Enderman was able to obtain registration keys for Windows 95 from ChatGPT quite easily by exploiting a flaw in the system. They discovered the format that Windows 95 uses to generate keys and then asked ChatGPT to provide a set of text and number strings that matched those rules. Since Enderman’s request didn’t appear to be an attempt at illegal activity, ChatGPT complied without issue.
After a few adjustments to the request, ChatGPT generated 30 sets of registration keys for Windows 95. Some of these keys were even valid, indicating that ChatGPT’s algorithm was able to generate usable keys. However, ChatGPT’s math ability was not entirely accurate, preventing it from generating a greater number of valid keys.
While this application of ChatGPT is sure to raise a few eyebrows, it would be much harder to pull off for more recent Windows versions given the increased complexity of their keys. Still, it’s an indication of just what ChatGPT can do if you get a bit creative with your prompts. From writing malware to composing music, people have been keeping OpenAI’s chatbot busy, and we wouldn’t be surprised if more key-generation attempts come to light after this latest escapade.
