Software theft occurs when someone steals software media, intentionally erases programs, illegally copies a program, or illegally registers and/or activates a program. One form of software theft involves someone physically stealing the media that contain the software or the hardware that contains the media. Another form of software theft occurs when software is stolen from software manufacturers. This type of theft, called piracy, is by far the most common form of software theft.
Safeguards against Software Theft
Safeguards against Software Theft
- To protect software media from being stolen, owners should keep original software boxes and media in a secure location. All computer users should back up their files and disks regularly, in the event of theft.
- To protect themselves from software piracy, software manufacturers issue users license agreements. A license agreement is the right to use the software. That is, you do not own the software.