VPN Provider Blocks Microsoft’s Hidden Windows GPID Script

Windscribe, a consumer VPN and privacy-software company, launched deGDID, an open-source PowerShell script that targets Microsoft’s Global Device Identifier (GDID) on Windows. GDID tracks a specific Windows installation across Microsoft services and stays the same even if the network address changes.

This is important because even though a VPN hides your public IP address, it doesn’t necessarily stop Windows from sending your device’s identifier to Microsoft. The script is to reduce that device tracking, as reported by Tom’s Hardware.

The public interest in this increased after a U.S. legal complaint outlined how Microsoft records tied a specific ID to activities involving Peter Stokes, who is accused of being part of the group Scattered Spider.

The filing indicates that Microsoft can link records within its services when asked by investigators, but it doesn’t show that they break VPN encryption or track every website a user visits. “GlobalDeviceId” is a unique ID made by Microsoft. This value is used internally by Microsoft in reports related to Windows Update and Delivery Optimization. In simpler terms, it’s a unique identifier that helps Microsoft manage and track updates for devices on their system.

The deGDID tool combines local cleanup and network blocking. Windscribe’s Protect mode deletes known GDID-related data, changes part of the hosts file, and then sets up a firewall to block device-registration routes. Moreover, it has read-only checks and hides identifier values in logs. And as expected, it requires admin rights. Windscribe doesn’t support managed or multi-profile systems.

Windscribe warns that the changes may affect signing into Microsoft accounts, using the Microsoft Store, Xbox, OneDrive, device syncing, passkeys, and Windows Hello linked to Microsoft accounts, and also calls deGDID an experiment.

The tool cannot delete historical records that Microsoft already holds, stop other tracking methods, or guarantee that future Windows changes will not recreate related identifiers. But if you particularly want to make sure Microsoft can’t track you and your device activity using GDID, now there’s a way to remove it.