Hacker arrest reveals Microsoft’s hidden Windows tracking ID

The unsealed US federal complaint against 19-year-old hacker Peter Stokes has exposed a persistent Windows tracking mechanism called the Global Device Identifier (GDID). Stokes, an alleged member of the Scattered Spider hacking group, used a VPN to hide his identity while breaching a luxury jewelry retailer. However, Microsoft provided the FBI with telemetry records showing that his unique GDID accessed specific third-party pages at precise timestamps, rendering the VPN useless. This identifier is automatically assigned to every Windows installation, survives standard operating system updates, and lacks a simple user opt-out. The case has triggered significant privacy concerns as it demonstrates Microsoft's capability to link a specific PC's web activity independently of browser history. The only straightforward way for ordinary users to completely reset this identifier is to perform a full reinstallation of Windows.

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