Windscribe Releases Open-Source PowerShell Script to Remove Microsoft's Persistent Global Device Identifier from Windows
Windscribe has released an open-source PowerShell script named deGDID that removes Microsoft's hidden Global Device Identifier from Windows and blocks the operating system from generating replacement identifiers.
The Global Device Identifier is a persistent device fingerprint that remains unchanged when users switch IP addresses and functions below the level of VPN tunnels. Recent reports indicate that this identifier helped the FBI locate a suspected hacker, prompting renewed privacy concerns among Windows users.
The script is distributed via GitHub and must be executed in PowerShell with administrator privileges. Available parameters include -Status to display detected identifiers, -Status -Redact to mask them in diagnostic logs, -Protect to delete stored keys and prevent new ones from being issued, and -Unprotect to restore default settings.
Simply deleting registry entries is insufficient because Windows silently recreates the identifiers after a reboot or contact with Microsoft servers. Therefore deGDID alters registry access control lists, modifies permissions, and blocks the internal DeviceAdd interface so that Microsoft's identification services no longer recognize the computer as a registered device.
After running the script, users may experience partial loss of functionality. During testing, authentication through login.live.com became unavailable in all browsers, while login.microsoftonline.com, online games, and several other applications continued to operate normally. The script cannot remove identifiers that have already been sent to Microsoft.
deGDID is designed exclusively for unmanaged consumer devices. It will refuse to run on corporate or domain-joined systems. Windscribe describes the project as experimental and does not claim it eliminates every trace of the Global Device Identifier.
Related articles
WebRTC IP Leaks Explained: Why Disabling the Protocol Harms Anonymity in Anti-Detect Browsers
The article from Aurorium details how WebRTC technology can leak real IP addresses even when users route traffic through proxies. It explains the peer-to-peer mechanics of WebRTC, the role of STUN servers in generating ICE candidates, and why standard TCP proxies fail to handle UDP traffic. Disabling WebRTC via flags or JavaScript extensions creates detectable anomalies that anti-fraud systems flag as non-standard environments. The recommended approach involves native emulation inside the browser kernel so that STUN requests return proxy IPs while preserving full API integrity across workers. Additional leaks through local network addresses, mDNS candidates, and IPv6 are also covered with practical verification methods using tools like BrowserLeaks and CreepJS.
Docx Anonymizer: Open-Source Chrome Extension Uses Fine-Tuned rubert-tiny2 to Anonymize Personal Data Before AI Uploads
A Russian developer has released Docx Anonymizer, a browser extension that automatically detects and replaces personal data in documents using a lightweight NER model before they reach public AI services such as ChatGPT. The tool was created to help organizations comply with Russia’s 152-FZ personal data protection law while avoiding the risks of uploading contracts and other sensitive files to cloud-based LLMs. It runs entirely locally via ONNX Runtime and WebAssembly, requires no network calls, and supports any AI chat interface. The underlying model, rubert-tiny2, was further trained through knowledge distillation on WikiANN, factRuEval, and synthetic business documents, reaching strong F1 scores for person and organization entities after int8 quantization. The extension intercepts text on the fly, performs named-entity recognition in under two seconds for typical contracts, and replaces detected entities with placeholders. The project is fully open source and designed for minimal user friction, addressing the growing problem of employees inadvertently leaking corporate and personal data to public AI platforms.
Hybrid Post-Quantum Message Sealing: X25519 + ML-KEM-1024 in Umbera Messenger with Public Rust Tests
Umbera messenger has open-sourced its cryptographic core and published seven Rust tests that anyone can run to verify its hybrid post-quantum message sealing scheme. The design combines X25519 with ML-KEM-1024 so that an attacker must break both algorithms to decrypt a message. Messages are protected by Double Ratchet for forward secrecy, sealed sender packaging, and per-message ephemeral keys derived via HKDF-SHA256 into AES-256-GCM. The relay server stores only an opaque box identifier and encrypted blob with no sender or recipient fields visible. Media calls use DTLS-SRTP end-to-end while TURN servers see only encrypted datagrams. Addresses for message boxes rotate weekly and are derived solely from the shared secret between the two parties.
Free Ad Blocker for iPhone, Android, and Desktop Uses DNS Parsing Without Libraries and Skips YouTube Influencer Ads From the First Second
A new free ad-blocking solution has been released for iPhone, Android, and desktop platforms. The tool relies on a lightweight DNS parser that operates without external libraries. It includes a dedicated mode for users who already run VPN connections. An accompanying browser extension automatically skips sponsored segments in YouTube videos, even when the advertisement begins at the zero-second mark. The developer describes the technical challenges encountered after launch and the fixes applied to maintain compatibility across operating systems. The project emphasizes user privacy by avoiding unnecessary data collection and third-party dependencies.