Microsoft Confirms Windows GDID Device Identifier That Cannot Be Disabled
Microsoft has confirmed the existence of a persistent, device-specific identifier called the Global Device Identifier (GDID) that cannot be disabled. The ID is linked to Microsoft accounts and is used for internal tracking, activation, and service management.
Why it matters
The disclosure highlights privacy concerns regarding persistent tracking mechanisms embedded in operating systems that users cannot opt out of.
Microsoft has publicly acknowledged the existence of the Global Device Identifier (GDID), a device-specific ID assigned to Windows installations, in a federal complaint filed by US prosecutors against an alleged member of the Scattered Spider hacking group.
The ID is generated when Windows is set up with a Microsoft Account, persists through Windows updates, and cannot be disabled without affecting Windows activation and Microsoft Store apps.
Microsoft briefly mentioned GDID in the Azure Monitor documentation, describing it only as "an identifier used by Microsoft internally." The complaint cites a Microsoft representative describing GDID as "a persistent, device-level identifier designed to uniquely identify an installation of a Windows operating system on a device, either a physical device such as a mobile phone or laptop or a virtual machine, across certain Microsoft services and scenarios."
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