Microsoft fixes loophole used for bypassing Windows 11's system requirements
What's the story
Microsoft is intensifying efforts to prevent users from bypassing system requirements of Windows 11. The tech giant has fixed a loophole that allowed users to install the operating system on incompatible PCs, according to Neowin. This move comes in response to users finding ways around these requirements, particularly those related to TPM 2.0 support. The exploit involved adding "/product server" to the Windows 11 setup executable, effectively forcing it to skip the hardware check during installation on an incompatible PC.
Exploit fixed
Microsoft patches exploit in Windows 11 setup
The "/product server" exploit has been in use for a year but is now being addressed by Microsoft. TheBobPony reported that beginning with the latest patch on the Canary branch, this method no longer works, indicating that Microsoft is actively seeking and fixing such exploits.
Limited impact
Patch currently limited to Canary branch
The patch that disables the "/product server" trick is currently only available on the Canary branch of Windows 11. This means that users can still bypass system requirements using this method on a release version of the operating system. However, as the patch progresses through Microsoft's development stages, it is expected to be integrated into all versions soon.