14 DAY TRIAL // Software piracy is becoming an ever increasing reason of concern with each passing year for the companies that are loosing a lot of money due to this phenomenon. And it's not just a few dollars we're talking about, but over 50 millions each year, according to the US officials.
However, the authorities have begun to take harsh measures against the persons or groups involved in such illegal activities. According to AFP, as a part of a large international operation, called "Operation Site Down", police raids took place in over 11 countries, leading to the seize of equipment used for illicit copies of films, music and software.
The raids were carried out in United States, Canada, Israel, France, Belgium, Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Portugal and Australia, striking what is known as the "warez" community.
Authorities say the persons in the so-called "warez scene" are the "first-providers" of stolen copyrighted works to the Internet. Once a warez release group prepares a copyright-infringing work for distribution, the material reaches in minutes secure, top-level warez servers throughout the world and is made available to the public through peer-to-peer and other public file sharing networks.
The warez groups hit go by the name RiSCISO, Myth, TDA, LND, Goodfellaz, Hoodlum, Vengeance, Centropy, Wasted Time, Paranoid, Corrupt, Gamerz, AdmitONE, Hellbound, KGS, BBX, KHG, NOX, NFR, CDZ, TUN and BHP, according to the Justice Department.