Anti-pirate software erased data
p2pnet.net News:- Highly questionable attempts to protect software are being repeated, writes F-Secure’s Jarno in the company’s blog.
He points out that in 2000, a Palm developer who created a Liberty game boy emulator for Palm devices also made a trojan that was supposed to crack the software, but instead deleted all the files on the device.
Now, “About a week ago a Pocket PC developer who created Pocket Mechanic utility for pocket PC, created update of his software (version 1.50) that deletes all files on the device if user is using one specific pirated serial number,” says Jarno, “Which means that if user is using such number and upgrades to version 1.50 or downloads 1.50 and enters pirated serial code, he will lose all data.”
However, the current version 1.51 doesn’t have the trojan, says F-Secure.
Pirating software is illegal. But so is creating trojans to check whether or not a user has a pirated version and then erases the files if he/she has, says the post: “It is sad to see the same bad idea repeating time after time.
“I as one who is working in software company, can well understand the frustration one feels when products of ones hard work is illegally copied. But using illegal ways of combating against that is not an answer either.
“And to those who use pirated serial numbers, your typical Pocket PC software costs 15 USD, if you like the software, why don’t you just buy it, and save all the trouble.”
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See:-
being repeated – Commercial Pocket PC software wiping PDA if you use pirated serial code, F-Secure, February 7, 2005
February 7th, 2005 at 11:28 pm
People who impliment trojans/backdoors to do things other than advertised are worse than those pirating the software because they have the trust of the users as the vender. Its the wrong way to handle piracy.
February 8th, 2005 at 12:16 am
So, why didn’t the guy just make the installer not install the program, and come back with an “This is a pirated serial number” message? That would have been a little better.
February 8th, 2005 at 2:39 am
They knew that they were doing wrong and that they were taking a chance. Not to mention that they were just plain stupid trying to update their pirated software with a known pirated serial number. I don’t think the software protection mechanism should do more than delete the pirated software, but if it does I have no sympathy for the pirate.
February 8th, 2005 at 2:42 pm
As much as I seem to “take up for the pirates,” I don’t believe this guy should be prosecuted for the erasure of files. However, people may become very leary of buying his products.
I for one do not have any problem with people selling their sotware although I only use free, open source software myself.
February 8th, 2005 at 6:06 pm
LoL, if my PDA was cleared by those scumbags, I would’ve sued their asses into the next century! Such shit is illegal and unacceptable.
Who cares, anyone can get a crack in a matter of days after an app is released… go piracy!