Oh the conundrum of pirated software, on one hand, it’s better to support the product, on the other hand it’s free, but loyalty is what counts, yeah but it’s free. Software companies have tried many avenues to stop pirates, from banning individuals from using particular online games to as in Microsoft’s case, offering free copies of Windows 10 to cracked software owners only to change their minds around 50 times.
Popular and successful Anti Virus Company Malwarebytes have taken a different view and are offering an amnesty to pirated keys in exchange for legitimate licences. How does it work? Well according to the Malwarebytes website, if you try, well not you, but if someone attempts to activate a pirated licence key, a message will appear informing them of two options. One is to contact Malwarebytes for a new 12 months key before its disabled with the second option being for paid customers of legitimate licences.
Malwarebytes aims to roll out a new licensing system which is stronger and also hopes to determine which keys are for which owners. The offer is for a limited time only but as of writing, there is no defined end date to which this offer will end. It’s a brave move to offer a free key to pirates, but in turn the company is not threatening users with legal action etc which might build a stronger reputation with users in the long run.
Or this could be just the case of spreading a huge net to see who bytes, bites, I am speaking in tech, either way it will be interesting to follow the progress of this offer.
Thank you Malwarebytes and Forum for providing us with this information
Image courtesy of degreedix
I recently bought a premium key online. After a few weeks and an update MWB displayed a message saying that I may have bought a pirated key and they’ll be supplying me with a 12 month subscription for free!
Lesson learned, don’t buy cheap keys online!