Windows 8/2012 Windows Store Service crack

Imagine you want to deploy self-signed (may be repacked) appx. You run powershell :



Then you switch to metro start screen and attempt to launch application



Whoops ! Error. This is probably because windows do not allow sideloading of metro applications. I assume you are smart guy and made the appx right, signed it and imported code signing cert into local machine's Trusted Root certificate store. Also you set the following policy key :

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Appx]
"AllowAllTrustedApps"=dword:00000001

Now let's start Windows Store cracking service.



To monitor cracking service activity launch DbgView from sysinternals



Let's deploy our appx again



Here is DbgView output



Now launch application again



It worked now ! This is because cracking service fakes Windows Store service to think that it is running on domain joined machine. Microsoft allows sideloading either on domain machines or on machines having special sideloading product key installed. May be once those keys will be available to public, but now here is my solution to the problem. Also machines having developer license are allowed to run unsigned metro applications. But this license expires every month and Microsoft promises to monitor developers activity to fight piracy and other abuse.
Enjoy !