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The newest version of Zeus, a do-it-yourself crimeware kit responsible for millions of dollars in losses by consumers and businesses, comes with anti-piracy provisions similar to those used by Microsoft's Windows, a researcher said today. And that's a good thing.

Like Windows, Zeus 1.3 ties itself to a specific computer using a key code based in part on the machine's hardware configuration, said Kevin Stevens, a security researcher with Atlanta-based SecureWorks, and a co-author of a report on Zeus published last week. "It's just like a Windows license," said Stevens as he explained how the key code is generated.