| Risk | Consequence | |------|--------------| | | Microsoft’s activation servers will reject the key if it's blacklisted, overused, or tied to a different VL agreement. | | Legal liability | Using an unauthorized product key violates the Microsoft Software License Terms. Your company could face audits and fines. | | No updates / security patches | Without a genuine license, you cannot download critical security updates from Microsoft Update. This is dangerous for an on-premises server. | | Malware injection | Many "key generator" websites bundle trojans, ransomware, or keyloggers with their downloads. | | Audit triggers | Microsoft conducts random SAM (Software Asset Management) audits. A mismatched key can result in retroactive licensing fees. |