Why you should not use cracked software 4

Tempted to download some cracked software and save money? Think again—you risk malware and security issues.

Purchasing software can be expensive. When you need a new piece of software for your PC, you can either look for free options, or pay out for potentially pricey software. Some people are tempted to avoid these costs by downloading cracked or illegal software.

This is software that is pirated via file sharing sites and accessed illegally using a stolen or generated unlock code.

However, cracked and illegal software can be a security risk in more ways than you might imagine. Here are some of the risks of downloading and using illegal software.

Downloading and using cracked software is illegal. If you are caught using it, you could face a range of consequences.

One of the more minor consequences is that you may be blocked by the software vendor temporarily or permanently. For example, if you pirate a copy of Adobe Photoshop, then Adobe could block you from using any of their software in the future. If you rely on this software for your work, this could cause a serious problem.

This is particularly a problem with cracked games. If you download a game illegally and try to play it online, you may well be caught. And if you are, you might find yourself banned not only from that particular game, but also from online gaming platforms like Xbox Live. This would prevent you from gaming online at all using that platform.

Another problem might arise with your ISP. If it catches you pirating software, they could report you to the software vendor. Or they could chose to block your internet connection. This can also lead to massive problems if, like most people, you rely on your home internet for work or entertainment.

This affects businesses as well. If you are the director of a business and you have illegal software on your company’s devices, you could be held liable.

Source: https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/security-reasons-dont-download-cracked-software/