[Greman]A presumably early copy of a Windows 11 ISO installation file became public via a Chinese website a few days ago (see Windows 11 build 21996.1 leaked). While there were doubts whether it was a fake at first, Microsoft is now taking action against websites that offer the ISO for download. The website FOSSByte takes up the whole matter in the article Microsoft Confirms Windows 11 Existence And Leak In DMCA Complaint [Exclusive] and reports that Microsoft has filed DMCA complaints against the site operators.
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The published Windows 11 ISO files were probably linked or made available on various platforms such as Reddit, Mega and Telegram. Now, a turnaround has occurred as Microsoft indirectly confirms Windows 11 and the leak via the filed DMCA complaints.
DMCA complaint against Indian site
The acronym DMCA stands for Digital Millennium Copy Act and allows complaints from rights holders against websites that violate their copyrights. Microsoft Japan has filed a DMCA complaint against Beebom, a technology news publication based in India, for distributing unreleased Windows 11 ISO (Copyrighted to Microsoft).
DMCA complaint, Click to zoom
The tech giant has also asked Google to remove the link to Beebom's article from its search because "it contains a leaked copy of the unreleased Windows 11." Whether there are other DMCA complaints against other websites is beyond my knowledge. Meanwhile, the copy of the ISO file should also be widely distributed – though I wonder what good it will do (other than satisfy personal curiosity). On 24.6. we will officially hear from Microsoft what is planned. Then the Windows 11 ISOs should be passed on to the insiders.
