Merely buying a branded PC does not guarantee protection from malicious programs. You need to have genuine software running on your system. Microsoft, in its new report highlights the fact how the counterfeit software poses risks to consumers, at large in the form of Cybercrime. The global study comes before us after analyzing over 250 websites and interviewing 2,077 consumers and 258 IT managers, worldwide.
Software Piracy & Counterfeit Software
People, often choose counterfeit to save the most valuable resource – money, but that certainly ends up adding worries to the peaceful life of both, the enterprise and casual computer users alike.
Counterfeit software are often laced with dangerous malware, spyware or other potentially dangerous codes that may steal a casual user’s personal or final information without his consent. In fact, it’s become a new method for criminals to prey on computer users who are unaware of the potential danger.
“The cybercrime reality is that counterfeiters are tampering with the software code and lacing it with malware,” said David Finn, associate general counsel in the Microsoft Cybercrime Center. “Some of this malware records a person’s every keystroke — allowing cybercriminals to steal a victim’s personal and financial information — or remotely switches on an infected computer’s microphone and video camera, giving cybercriminals eyes and ears in boardrooms and living rooms”, he further adds.
So, the best way to beat the problems of software piracy and secure yourself and your property from potentially dangerous malware threats is to demand a genuine software from the authorized seller. By using genuine Microsoft software, you can ensure that you have access to the latest features, security, and support, which can help you improve your productivity and expand the capabilities of your PC.
In addition to this, you get access to new offerings available only to genuine Microsoft software customers. Here are some highlights of the consumer survey conducted by the Microsoft researchers.
- Sixty-four percent of the people respondents knew who had used counterfeit software experienced security issues.
- Forty-five percent of the time, counterfeit software slowed their PCs, and the software had to be uninstalled.
- Forty-eight percent of respondents noted that their greatest concern with using counterfeit software was data loss.
- Twenty-nine percent were most concerned with Online Identity Theft.
The IDC study, titled “The Dangerous World of Counterfeit and Pirated Software,” was released today as part of Microsoft’s “Play It Safe” campaign, a global initiative to bring awareness to issues related to software piracy.
