Software piracy is the copying or distribution of software for personal or business use without the authorisation of the copyright holder. Software piracy is considered an act of copyright infringement and the infringer can face legal ramifications. Educating yourself about different types of piracy will prevent you from becoming a victim not only of piracy, but perhaps a victim of identity theft or other crimes.
Every year billions of dollars of revenue is lost as a result of software piracy. In 2013, according to a global study conducted on behalf of the BSA, the total losses sustained by the software industry as a direct result of unlicensed software installations were in excess of 62.7 billion dollars worldwide.
What many fail to realize is that the harmful effects of software piracy reach far beyond the software publisher. While software manufacturers certainly feel the crunch, our channel partners and our customers suffer as well.
Software is one of the most valuable technologies of the Information Age, running everything from personal computers to the internet. Unfortunately, because software is so valuable and because computers make it easy to create an exact copy of a program in seconds, software piracy is a widespread problem. Software piracy is the illegal copying or distribution of a copyrighted software program. There are five common types of software piracy and the bottom line is that software piracy has serious consequences.
Unfortunately, it can be all too easy for a consumer to purchase counterfeit or other unauthorized software. Consumers who purchase such unauthorized software, either through online stores, auction sites, or brick and mortar storefronts, have no right to use or redistribute the software that they receive. In addition, consumers face significant risks when using unauthorized software. Counterfeit software could contain viruses or other malicious code that can damage computers or lead to identity theft. Counterfeit software also might be corrupted or defective, which can ruin a hard drive, costing consumers more money in terms of repair services. Illegitimate software also does not come with proper manuals, warranties or support services.