14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is once again encouraging users to buy genuine software, warning that pirated copies of Windows, usually distributed at absolutely no cost, come with malware and other forms of computer infections.
According to the Inquirer, a study conducted by the Security Forensics division indicated that 63 percent of the DVDs or the computers running illegal copies of Windows in Southeast Asia had been infected with malware, including backdoors, hijackers, bots, password stealers and Trojans.
The company has found a total of 2,000 forms of malware on computers purchased from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.
“This study shows that using counterfeit software is a dangerous proposition. Pirated software is a breeding ground for cybercrime, and the cost of using it is potentially much higher than the price of buying genuine (software),” said Keshav Dhakad, Microsoft regional director of Intellectual Property for Asia-Pacific and Japan.