7 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
7 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Combatting Piracy of a Software Product

by careybaird
6 replies
I have been following a thread in a Black Hat Forum of people requesting to "null" my software.

"Nulling" is the process of removing encryption, so it can then be shared. Obviously this is not good but I am wondering what I can do about it.

Has anyone had any experience with this? Do the BH forums listen if you complain?
#combatting #piracy #product #software
  • Profile picture of the author lastreporter
    Getting your copyrighted work ripped off seems the cost of doing business online. I hate it when it happens to me, but I try to ignore it and move on because there is little you can do to combat it. Thankfully, there are only a small number of people doing it, so I still make sales. That's my take.
    Signature
    Charm City Gallery
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4768745].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author careybaird
    I guess that the people who want it for free in this way would never buy anyway. And on a positive note, it does help to spread the word of your software.

    You can get the downloads deleted (they are usually uploaded on sites like megaupload.com and I am sure they will listen if you contact them about it) but I think ultimately the best way to combat piracy is to keep releasing updates - faster than they can be cracked and released.
    Signature

    Owner of:

    [    Fresh Store Builder]

    The worlds most advanced Amazon store builder with over 17,000 members.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4768898].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
      Banned
      Originally Posted by careybaird View Post

      I guess that the people who want it for free in this way would never buy anyway. And on a positive note, it does help to spread the word of your software.

      You can get the downloads deleted (they are usually uploaded on sites like megaupload.com and I am sure they will listen if you contact them about it) but I think ultimately the best way to combat piracy is to keep releasing updates - faster than they can be cracked and released.
      If it's on a site like megaupload, send megaupload a DMCA and that'll probably get it removed. Doesn't mean that it won't be uploaded again though.

      Oh ... and asking a BH forum to remove it ... don't even bother. They'll just laugh and tell you where to go.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4769513].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Aaron Doud
    I wouldn't worry about it. Think of piracy as advertising. Many of the people who will pirate it would never buy it and therefore never even try it. And if it works well some of those who pirate it will end up buying it because they want to support the product.

    Considering the unknowns in IM I think personally a lot of people want to try before they buy.

    Of course there are ways around this during programing such as getting the software to always check in and always update before use. Yeah there are ways to remove it but if you impliment it right it stops most if not all piracy of a product. Some games are going to methods like that now. Of course it blocks the use of the game when offline which is pissing off some PC gamers.
    Signature
    Aaron Doud - Sales & Success
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4769552].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author jekis4sv
    Originally Posted by careybaird View Post

    I have been following a thread in a Black Hat Forum of people requesting to "null" my software.

    "Nulling" is the process of removing encryption, so it can then be shared. Obviously this is not good but I am wondering what I can do about it.

    Has anyone had any experience with this? Do the BH forums listen if you complain?
    I have uploaded multiple different "nulled" versions of my softwares to warez forums and torrent trackers. made them all seem to be "nulled" so they don't ask for registration, but artificially made them buggy (errors happen on a random basis). Also included PPI adware into installers of such versions. So now when somebody searched for the nulled version of my soft, he the most likely will find one of my fake nulled versions and have a real headache with it.

    Just an option.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4769575].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author SteveJohnson
    If Adobe can't keep from having their software cracked and let out for free, small fishies like us don't stand much of a chance.

    As was said above - whoever gets it for free likely would not buy it anyway, so in all likelihood you're not losing much, if anything.

    You can let yourself waste time and mental energy worrying about it, or doing different versions like the post above, or you can just realize it's going to happen and get on with creating newer and better things.
    Signature

    The 2nd Amendment, 1789 - The Original Homeland Security.

    Gun control means never having to say, "I missed you."

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4769758].message }}

Trending Topics