Cracked Software (Dangers)

smjpl

Just wondering what is the story with cracked software. I am not asking how to use it or anything so think this thread is ok to set up.

I know the obvious danger that you don't know what your downloading so it could be a virus.

I'm wondering, lets say John X has a cracked copy of microsoft word. He types up a document and sends it to me. Can I tell from that document that the software he was using is cracked?

Cheers

practice

The big danger from using this type of software is a virus.
No you cant tell.

CreepingDeath

smjpl wrote: »

I'm wondering, lets say John X has a cracked copy of microsoft word. He types up a document and sends it to me. Can I tell from that document that the software he was using is cracked?

Cracked software can be riddled with malware.

In theory, someone could deliberately hack Ms Word so that it adds a Visual Basic Macro into every Ms Word document.

But in general, no you can't tell some a word document whether it has been generated on legal version or not.

FYI: You can get a full version of Ms Office legally here for €67

Software for students

ScumLord

Word is a highly generic format used by most word processing programs so even if it's not perfect Microsoft it could have just come from another program.

I've found cracked software highly unreliable, I'd be worried about updates too, they may not work properly leaving you with an out of date and vulnerable program.

There are many free/open source programs that cover most office needs like open office (which also saves as word documents) so I'd try that route first before using cracked software. There's even high end open source video and picture editing, 3D programs like Blender.

smjpl

I was taking Word as an example of all software. Everybody knows MS Word. Sorry, should have stated that. Is it the same for all programs like CAD drawing programs more specifically? Any software that outputs a file really.

ScumLord

smjpl wrote: »

I was taking Word as an example of all software. Everybody knows MS Word. Sorry, should have stated that. Is it the same for all programs like CAD drawing programs more specifically? Any software that outputs a file really.

I don't know much about open source CAD programs but they are out there and would save in industry standards file formats so they could be read in autocad and mechanical desktop. Although I'm just assuming that.

Do a search for open source CAD. I do know expensive CAD programs can have external hardware dongles and are pretty strict when it comes to protecting their software (which can cost up in the region of 6 grand) so I really wouldn't want to rely on them and wouldn't expect the software to be stable.

Depending on the complexity of what you want to produce Google have a free basic CAD program http://sketchup.google.com/

U_Fig

the only way you can you can tell is by disassembling the program and looking at the strings and looking at the hex values...