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Companies are getting smarter, and databases are becoming more secure, and organisations are taking action.
For a while now piracy has been under the spotlight and heat, mainly with record companies chewing out the P2P stuff and trying to stop people from downloading stuff they arn't suppose to. Well now the application industries are in on it too, but in a BIG different way.
I recently got caught out by a new system for an application known as HistoryKiller 2003. This program is the ultimate application for destroying all your history, by re-writing your index logs 23 times, and killing pop-up adds like you wouldn't believe, and all sorts. It's actually the first application i have ever used which i have considered to be very useful in regards to my history and popups and cookie management. It was even recommended by various hacker groups and affiliates of the underground.
HOWEVER. They have an incredibly system in place. I tried using information supplied by a well known crack group, to get the application for free. That was a HUGE mistake on my part. I got a msg stating that it is illegal information and all my information has been gathered and shall be reported to the authorities if i do not purchase the product NOW. So i bought the application, worrying about my current finances as it is because i'm not even sure if i have the money available to cover the cost or not =.=;
But since, i've been seriously considering my situation on things. Just how many times have we come close to being caught for illegal software and not even realised it? Just how much do we take all this stuff for granted and assume we're safe simply because nothing has happened so far? How do we know it isn't all piling up with the authorities, until it reaches the point that they decide to bust you without warning due to the large amount of reports they've received?
the company involved with HistoryKiller is the first to remind me exactly how serious this stuff is, and how extreme the punishment would be if i was ever found out. For this reason i'm seriously considering about getting rid of all my illegal software and going straight.
Also, as an unfortunate side-effect. It's made me exceptionally paranoid. I keep getting the feeling someone is surfing through my computers history and checking up on everything i say online now.... =.=;
Consider it, and decide.
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You got a letter from the person who sent it to you? You never know, maybe that program had spyware in it so they knew if you registered or not.
People are NOT allowed to just surf your computer and check out your registry like that, and if they do, you're allowed to sue them for invasion of privacy. Spyware, as far as I know, is not just a hassle, it's illegal.
You never know, the company who made it could just be bluffing in order to get your money. If the issue does get brought up with a judge, I'm pretty sure the judge is willing to ask "How did you get this information?" OR, if you told someone on another forum that you recently downloaded it, they could have fabricated the email in order to get money from you. I don't know the details so I can't say for sure.
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I believe JessiA is right, also they dont care about peons like us, if they sue, they wont go through the trouble of us, theyll go for the big guns.besides, isnt that kinda blackmail...
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No it came up as a popup from the program. It turns out the program communicates to a database over on their end via SSL. It's perfectly legal to have their application send any information which is placed into the application itself, and if multiple amounts of it popup and they are keeping a very close eye on all the accounts that go through the servers, they can use your IP in conjunction with the information you sent in a court of law.
No scanning of your computer is required for them to take legal action where serials are concerned.
Edit:
The concept of them going for bigger fish may not apply to everyone. They obviously want to ward off the concept of piracy and probably increase their profits 200% by doing so. Also they probably know from experience that if a person tries for one illegal app, he probably has a dozen others and it wouldn't be such a waste to put them up.
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I wonder what sort of risk other countries besides the US are under. I mean, if an American company wants to stamp out piracy for their software, surely they'll only prosecute American abusers. It would cost too much to go international wouldn't it?
Admittedly, I do have illegal software, but I'd say 99% of it is American. Seeing I live on the other side of the world, I must be pretty safe right? RIGHT? They wouldn't bother with little ole me.
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I've thought about that too.Especially with my download habits.I'm probably killing my isp.Lets just keep these things down,as in don't admit to anything you don't need to,ie I got a cracked version of so ans so called program etc.
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Hmm... this seriously makes me think that i should have my friends stop doing it.. What if they have spybot search n destroy n shit like that..
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yes but as JessiA said, for the things that need to search your comp, theyll get in more trouble by not giving you privacy, you can just counter sue...besides if I see guys in black suits and they have badges, and i knew i was in shit, id brake my HD and flush down toilet....mwah!
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I was re reading it.. and that sounds fishy "go buy the game now or else" How would they know if you even bought it? I think its bullshit my self.
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I agree, and even if it was tru its blackmail
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BULL SHITE!!!!!!! i will download all the illeagle crap i plz and that didnt change a thing about what i think about it gg no re
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</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (FlatulationNoJutsu @ Jan 26 2004, 10:05 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> what if the information you put in your email account is bogus... like
Name: Judge Joe Brown
Occupation: Badger Molester
Address: 12345 fake street
Area Code: 12345
City: townsville
State: (random)
Age: (bogus)
etc. etc. etc.
how can they catch you then?
BTW that's the information in my email lol </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>
This is a good point you've made but the answer is simple.
If you register with a valid credit card number, a generated serial is created on their server and sent to your email address. If you used a fake email add, you cannot activate it. If you used a fake credit card number it won't authenticate on their server and they bust you for credit card fraud.
If you used a serial number from the net, which is on their database but has been used more than once. When the program sends the serial you're registering to the server, and the server finds that it's already been used, it notifies the company for fraud yet again.
All information regarding where you live can be traced simply by the use of your IP address. The IP address is sent out to every server/computer where an instance of information is transferred from one to the other, thus the way they acquired your IP is legal.
Once they have your address, the rest is easy. All they need to do is directory enquires, yellow pages, or if they feel your crime is enough to take you to court, they can report it to the police who can then check up with the social authorities and get all the information regarding the people who live there, their ages, etc etc. This information is held ONLY by the police, but the police visit your house and check your computer. If the said software is found they report it back to the company who may take you to court over it through the police as their 'connection' between you and them. (no personal details EVER comes from the police.)
Ok i won't argue too much on the basis that they won't take you to court because you're too small for the hassle. But my theory is that by cutting piracy in this fashion their profits would increase by 200% and if they take everyone to court they create a reputation will will gain longterm benefits in comparison to the short term costs. It's kind of like an investment.
Also.... if you got such a message. Would you be willing to risk everything on something so weak as a theory that they won't bother you? Sure it's logical, but how do you know? Do you have evidence that proves they won't pick on you? I've heard plenty of people get busted for piracy by the authorities, so surely some companies must report them in order for the anti-piracy system to work in someway or another?
It's a risk too great for me. The bust is something stupid like $5,000 for every pirated item. Can you really afford that?
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yea man thats bs black mail...well anyway i wanna sew that popup add that opend ur cd-rom magicly dude i wanna sew them so badly..they dont have anywrit to be openind ur cd drives...weel that why i only download roms and from irc that it scre* kazaa
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They would know because you would send legitimate information to their central servers, and because the information you supplied has never been there before, it's considered legitimate.
For instance, more and more programs are asking for an email address for them to send a confirmation email to. If you don't click on the confirmation email to verify it, then they don't consider it legitimate.
Yes it is blackmail, but if you think about it, what are you going to do? You can't report them because then the court would know you've done piracy in the first place and you would lose more than you would gain. Because blackmail is a different case to piracy, it would have to go in a separate court order, so the chances are you would again lose much more than you would gain due to all the other things you've pirated.
Edit:
It dosn't matter if you can sue them or not. They probably more than recuperate any losses they have by people sueing them, but simply stopping piracy dead. Also, everyone knows that if they sued them, they would have to be seriously clean on their computer, because as soon as you bring such matters to court the company has the right to check your computer and bring attention to any other pirated software in a diffferent court proceeding. So no-ones likely to sue them, because they would lose tons more than what they would gain, unless they were legitmately clean which is unlikely considering they just tried to get an illegal version of their program.
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</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (pat-the-1337 @ Jan 26 2004, 01:33 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> BULL SHITE!!!!!!! i will download all the illeagle crap i plz and that didnt change a thing about what i think about it gg no re </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>
Lmao you are quite the chameleon arn't you?
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</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (hiddenpookie @ Jan 26 2004, 03:47 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> yea man thats bs black mail...well anyway i wanna sew that popup add that opend ur cd-rom magicly dude i wanna sew them so badly..they dont have anywrit to be openind ur cd drives...weel that why i only download roms and from irc that it scre* kazaa </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>
LMAO
I flipped out 2 days ago because of the that, it claimed "if your CD rom opened, you are very easy to be struck with adware"
and it was to buy some damn spyware blocker.
but um... that is slightly hypocritical.
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what if the information you put in your email account is bogus... like
Name: Judge Joe Brown
Occupation: Badger Molester
Address: 12345 fake street
Area Code: 12345
City: townsville
State: (random)
Age: (bogus)
etc. etc. etc.
how can they catch you then?
BTW that's the information in my email lol
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I got a letter from Cable Vision from paramount saying I downloaded and shared one of their movies. But nothing ever happened after the letter.
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the RIAA can be sued by the KaZaA guys because they used illegal versions of KaZaA to find the members that were cought and were sued so if they wanted to KaZaA can sue the RIAA if they wanted to, http://www.gotwoot.net/forum/html/emoticons/dry.gif i know i would...
http://www.boycott-riaa.com/
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its all a bunch of shit...and I say again...blackmail....
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my opinion is, just ignore them, and see what happens for a month. uninstall the software. if they still send you an e-mail after a month, then you know you have to blackmail them back. and if after a month nothing happens, you know it aint serious. i don't put in my real address for most thing anyways, and you shouldnt because internet isn't safe, unless you know its some big company...
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well actually, if they were serious and reported you to the authorities, they could easilyfind you, but is it worth it for a multi-million dollar company to take some mere simpleton to court, especially since I believe blackmail is against the law.
COUNTER!
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</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Xollence @ Jan 26 2004, 10:48 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> I got a letter from Cable Vision from paramount saying I downloaded and shared one of their movies. But nothing ever happened after the letter. </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>
I guess you could've sued or at least counter-sued them if Paramount was gonna go forward with any kind of legal action. Woulda been hard for them to win since they woulda been caught up on invasion of your privacy.
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</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (joker-kun @ Jan 26 2004, 11:33 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> well actually, if they were serious and reported you to the authorities, they could easilyfind you, but is it worth it for a multi-million dollar company to take some mere simpleton to court, especially since I believe blackmail is against the law.
COUNTER! </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>
i agree. i doubt that a big time software manufacturer would waste resources trying to track down just 1 or a few people who aren't a major threat to them. it's pretty pointless of them to say "buy the legit copy or else"
smells like bullshit to me but i wouldn't advise to take chances. anyhow companies don't and can't get the right to just search anyone's pc because they think people may have illegal copies of their software. that's unlwaful invasion of privacy.
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Rude Incompetent Asshole Association
the riaa sucks.
what they gonna bitch about next?
if they're gonna get mad at people dlin music then they might as well go after manufacturers of cd burners. no fuck it they might as well try to moderate the entire internet http://www.gotwoot.net/forum/html/emoticons/dry.gif like that'll ever happen.
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yeah you should have just uninstalled the software and said that you hit yes to alot of pop up stuff on the net and had no idea how it got installed. What are they going to do call you al liar. Unless they break down your door. Find the crack on your PC and the active software then your caught. I mean it could be just a script they put in. Every once in a while a pop up come up and threatens people wether you bought it or not. I mean hell i bought this DVD burning software and when i entered the serial for it it said "Are you sure you got this serial from a legitimate source" Of course i said yes. But if I had found the serial on the Net i would be very iffy about continueing on.
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Most games cost about $50 when they first come out.. some of the more hyped up games can be close to $60 though.
And, to tell the truth, when VHS tapes came out, there was an agreement between the RIAA and those people and VHS and any other recording device manufacturer. For every peice of recording equipment they make (CD/DVD-Rs included), the manufacturer pays a certain amount of money (royalty) to the record/movie companies... So.. it's just a matter of the RIAA being a bunch of bitches when it comes to music distribution.. some movies though, I can understand, because they might make .05 cents per DVD/CD made.. when they could easily get $20 per every DVD of the movie bought.
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the companies that sue for piracy usually sue the distributors over the ppl that download it. its just like the government does with drug dealers. stop the source and they dont need to worry about us peons getting our hands on their software for free.
but in my opinion the games and software industry have it coming. they charge hundreds of dollars for 1 program which i may use a couple of times a week at most. why the f*ck would i ever even think of paying for that? its not like im selling what i make with the software. the games industry charge what? £30 for 1 game ($40 roughly), and most of the time the games are crap and have limited appeal to me. ill download games and if i really like them ill go out and buy it for the multiplayer. but no way would i ever pay £30 for a game which costs them about £2 to make including developement costs and distribution costs.
bring down the prices and ill start buying their products.
simple as, simple is.
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This is kinda dumb... but it has points...
- Companies aren't allowed to search your HD without your consent (or a warrent.)
- If you are submitting an illegal keygen, they try and scare you.
- the RIAA is gay.
- Game hacking, think about it. Fairlight has been around for nearly 18 years. I know of the Razor incident, but that was prolly carelessness... etc
- If a company is after you, format your HD immediately.
- If your computer got confiscated, be thankful that u took the HDs out beforehand.
- Countersuing is a powerful tool for if a company is blackmailing you with piracy.
- If you get messages through WinMSG or whatever, they are lies.
- Download crappy, expensive games. Buy good games.
Peace out, don't be a fulltime pirate... support the industries (except the music industry because of the RIAA... >_<) and so on. http://www.gotwoot.net/forum/html/em...aughbounce.gif
