I understand that sharing video, photos, documents etc. is relatively safe because the data is not executed in the processor as instructions. How come people are willing to download and install pirated software though? How can one be confident that it does not contain malicious addons? Are people just don’t know the risks? Or are there protection mechanisms that I am missing? I mean since the software is usually cracked there is not much use in comparing checksums with the originals, is it?
Long story short.
- Be prepared for disaster.
- Scan it. Sandbox it if concerned.
- Firewall inspect/block/allow every outbound comm.
- Get it from a trusted source.
Basically the same stuff you should be doing with all software.
Edit for firewall clarification.
Is it smart to test if it is malicious in a vm first?
I don’t.
But I take many precautions.
I’ve been pirating software since the C64. About 40 years. Never stopped. Never will.
I buy the good software I encounter. As a developer, i know it’s important to keep funding further development. Unfortunately most is overpriced garbage.
I’m pretty new and extremely cautious with pirated software, i still need to find the precautions i have to take, luckily pirating games is much safer and easier than pirating software
Could you elaborate how pirating games is “safer” than pirating software? Both are executables that could run whatever code they wish on your system, and since pirated games are so desirable, in my experience they are far more often spread around bundled with malware than software is. Oftentimes, you’ll find people take legitimate repacks, add malware, then share the repack under the same repackers name.
It feels safer as there are a few sites with a good reputation which is just easier to find which makes me feel safer. Idk if it is really safer than with software.
Worth noting that paying for a license for software doesn’t stop it being spying malware either. In fact the pirate versions often take out the spying and the reporting-to-homebase that proprietary software does.
The photoshop that phones home to check a license is arguably more malicious than the pirate version that has been cracked so it doesn’t do that.
Good and valid point. I use opensource software wherever I can.
Though paid software is not going to encrypt your data for ransom or use a keylogger to steal bitcoin (yet).
There was an antivirus that was caught running a bitcoin miner in the background tbf. If memory serves it was Norton?
when you dl from any seller site do you know what you get regarding spy/mal/bloatware? for sure?
i would not dl from usenet or a public tracker though.
Make a dedicated user on your machine for pirated software. Never give that user root. Should contain it.
Or a vm
