Autopatcher did not verify authenticity (even WGA was an optional install) but that's not their fault. WGA was optional for windows update, too (if you knew which KB# it was hidden under). In addition, most of the patches are available as free downloads from the website already, and can be applied without authenticity checks. The only patch that does an authenticity check was WMP11, which still did it whether you use Autopatcher or the free un-aunthenticty-checked download, or windows update.
Bottom line - AP did nothing different than what was already available - it just made it easier than downloading across a pile of webpages and tons of reboots.
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Autopatcher did not verify authenticity (even WGA was an optional install) but that's not their fault. WGA was optional for windows update, too (if you knew which KB# it was hidden under). In addition, most of the patches are available as free downloads from the website already, and can be applied without authenticity checks. The only patch that does an authenticity check was WMP11, which still did it whether you use Autopatcher or the free un-aunthenticty-checked download, or windows update.
Bottom line - AP did nothing different than what was already available - it just made it easier than downloading across a pile of webpages and tons of reboots.