---
title: "What is software piracy?"  
description: "What is software piracy?"  
author: "Jack Williams"  
published: 2017-11-14  
canonical: https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/30522/what-is-software-piracy  
category: "q&a categories"  
reading_time: 2 minutes  

---

# What is software piracy?

What is software piracy?

## Answers

### Answer by UTKARSHA SINGHROUL

**Software Piracy is stealing or [using illegally](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/view/283/indian-currency-unauthorized-illegal-in-nepal) the genuine and legally protected software**. Basically, the illegal use of a product or [technology](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/view/375/dominance-of-india-in-outer-space) comes under the category of piracy, because we are using the product without the consent of the owner.

![What is software piracy?](https://answers.mindstick.com/questionanswer/feffa85d-0054-4ae3-a9c7-cd57059ba271/images/6dd729ed-0d2d-42f3-acd1-66822bc6602c.jpeg)\
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**The genuine [software](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/43015/how-to-become-a-software-developer) is protected under the Copyright Law, and if the [Copyright](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/38820/name-the-book-based-on-the-life-of-adolf-hitler-whose-70-year-long-copyright-expired-recently) law of any software has been violated like by illegal sharing of software, making multiple copies of the product, modification of software and selling it, all these activities comes under the violation of Copyright law and this phenomenon is said to be the Piracy of the Software**. The piracy of Software is very frequent in this world of technology and the preventive measures to stop the piracy of Software is not being fruitful at all. According to the **Business Software Alliance (BSA), the percentage of stolen software in the [market](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/35919/who-was-president-during-the-stock-market-crash-of-1929) and are currently in use are about more than 36%**. However, the piracy of Software cause a huge loss of [revenue](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/43096/what-was-the-first-act-that-the-parliament-passed-in-an-attempt-to-raise-revenue-by-taxing-the-american-colonists) to the [companies](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/40047/what-are-the-best-web-development-companies-in-singapore), and this in return works as a huge benefit for the users who can get the product in very low rate or just free of cost. **The original copy of a software is the licensed version of the product which only allows the installation of the software over the specified number of computer systems.** The original software registers the [IP Address](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/35775/what-do-you-mean-by-ip-address) of the user and then only allows the installation of the software. This way, the number of user or computer systems have been managed by the genuine version of any software. \
There are various types of Software Piracy:\

1. **Softlifting:** Borrowing or taking the copy of Software Application from a friend or colleague and installing it on your PC.
2. **Client-Server Overuse:** Installing more than you are authorized after the genuine purchase of the copy of the software.
3. **Hard-Disk Loading:** Installing and Selling the unauthorized copy of software while selling the new Computer or updating the computer software.
4. **Counterfeiting:** Duplicating the Copyrighted Software and selling it and making money illegally.
5. **Online Piracy:** Illegally downloading the software from a shared file from a group of friends or acquaintances.


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