To say otherwise that Microsoft’s software products are perhaps the most pirated in the world, would be distorting reality — Windows and Office, both regularly top lists that tally counterfeit software.
In fact, Windows 7 remains one of the most pirated OSes in the world.
Microsoft, for its part, has always encouraged users to buy genuine software, often warning that pirated copies of its operating systems are often injected with all sorts of malware and other such infections.
The latest study conducted by the Security Forensics division showed that 63 percent of the DVDs and computers running illegal copies of Windows in Southeast Asia have been infected by computer malware — everything from hijackers, bots, password stealers, Trojans and backdoor threats.
According to The Inquirer, the company has found no less than 2,000 forms of malware on PCs purchased from countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam
Keshav Dhakad, Microsoft’s regional director of Intellectual Property for Asia-Pacific and Japan noted:
“This study shows that using counterfeit software is a dangerous proposition. Pirated software is a breeding ground for cybercrime, and the cost of using it is potentially much higher than the price of buying genuine (software)”.
The price tag of Microsoft products is often cited as one of the reasons of this high piracy rate.
You may recall, how cybercriminals took advantage of the recent high-profile release of Windows 8 to push forward malware infested copies and software patches for the new operating system to unsuspecting users.