Pirated software is software that has been duplicated and distributed without authorization. Various activities can be considered software piracy, the classic example being someone who makes multiple copies of a program and sells them. Software piracy is usually prosecuted under copyright infringement laws, on the basis that the piracy infringes the copyright of the software developer.
Making unauthorized copies of software for friends is a form of copyright piracy.
Since the 1700s, people have referred to cases of copyright infringement as piracy, and with the advent of the computer age, piracy began to explode because it became easy to do and potentially very profitable. Software pirates can make a lot of money buying, copying, and selling a single legitimate copy of software. People may make a conscious decision to buy pirated software, or they may be tricked into buying illegally copied software by experienced pirates who are careful to package their products reliably.
Pirated software may be contained on a burned copy of an installation disc.
If the software is copied and distributed, some people don’t consider it piracy, just plain copyright infringement. This activity is still illegal, but it offers no monetary benefit to the person copying and distributing. The line is further blurred when people do things like install a piece of software on multiple computers when the software’s license allows only one copy to be installed, or when people make backup copies of the software for personal use.
Software developers take software piracy seriously because it costs them money.
From the point of view of software companies, unauthorized copying and distribution, whether it be copyright infringement or outright piracy, is detrimental because it deprives them of profit. This can also damage your reputation, as pirated software may be buggy or loaded with malware, in which case users may express anger at the product and the company. Hacking is also a problem because it can threaten the security of computer users, as pirated software products can be used to collect personal information, load a computer with viruses, or engage in other activities that will harm the user.
Various types of software are pirated, from games to office productivity software. Operating systems are also popular targets for hacking. Some people may be unwittingly involved in piracy, as in the case of an office installing more copies of an operating system or program than it has licenses. Penalties for owning and selling pirated software vary, and universities and schools in particular crack down on piracy to address security concerns and complaints from software producers.
The use of pirated software can make companies open to security problems.
