Single software licence shared 774,651 times

[Tomo172]

A single licence for Avast security software has been used by 774,651 people after it went viral on a file-sharing site, according to the company.

Avast noticed that a license for its paid-for security software, sold to a 14-user firm in Arizona, was being distributed online. Rather than shut down the piracy, the company decided to see how far the software would spread.

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/security/363379/single-software-licence-shared-774-651-times

[pranaygtr]

The company is turning the piracy into a marketing opportunity, looking to flip users of the pirated version to genuine software by popping up a notice on machines with the illegally-shared edition offering a link to the free or paid-for versions.

Security-vendors (probably) already know who are using a pirated license key(s).

Slick move by avast! though.

[DigiDis]

I bet Avast let it go just to get more exposure to the new suite.

The price of the whole suite is very low. I got a 3 PC license for 25 clams. I can't imagine using anything warez for computer security. What if the program is compromised in some way? What's there to stop it then? Then, there is so much great anti-malware software and firewalls available for free, why bother with warez?

[pranaygtr]

Here's Avast! Blog post:
http://www.avast.com/pr-avast-software-over-770-000-pirates-plus-2-in-the-vatican

Top Dirty Dozen*

• Russia
• Mexico
• Brazil
• Italy
• Spain
• USA
• India
• Philippines
• France
• Ukraine
• Argentina
• Thailand

*data from internal reports on pirated license usage, sorted by country.

[sdalgl72]

Ok you don't get the full suite but why pirate something that you can get for free anyway? I know its sceptical way of looking at it but if you can get a free version of the companies software why do you feel the need to rip them off

[Chumm]

To bluntly put it: 'People are stupid'.

I know people who download EVERYTHING via torrents without even looking into things.

[jamescv7]

Normally any software company that finds one of its product keys being shared on torrent websites would crack down pretty quickly by withdrawing it. Not Avast however who, according to a report by PC Pro magazine decided to track installs with it to see how far it would spread.

The company stayed deathly silent for eighteen months but have now finally announced that there have been 774,651 activations using the pirated key for their Avast Pro suite.

http://www.ghacks.net/2010/12/06/avast- ... -a-sharin/

[sss20]

It's amazing how viral this license got...... 774,651 .

They have also been given the option of converting to avast! Free Antivirus or buying avast! Pro Antivirus.

Most of them will just look for another pirated Avast license...and the saddest part is that avast free and pro aren't really to different... ..i'm sure that most of them don't even know what a sandbox is ..

[mdfareez]

I have to agree with you on that, SSS20. Sad but true.

[GakunGak]

Do they really think that pirates would buy a licence instead of just activating it again?