Software piracy harms everyone in the software community, including the consumer.
When a consumer unwittingly or wittingly makes an unauthorized copy of a software program, or purchases a counterfeit copy of software, his or her right to technical support, documentation, warranties and periodic updates provided by the product's manufacturer is forfeited. In addition, pirated software can contain viruses that could potentially damage the consumer's hard disks and its contents. For more information on types of piracy, please refer to the Types of Piracy section. Ask Yourself . . . If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be at risk for use of pirated software.