Rampant cracking on the internet
In Mr. Nguyen Thien's computer (character name has been changed), there is a set of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Adobe (Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere) installed. However, all of this software is a cracked version (software that has been cracked), installed at a cost of less than 100,000 VND. "I went to a computer store and asked them to install this software" - Mr. Thien said.
According to Mr. Thien, every 1 or 2 months, the software in the computer reports an error, and he has to reinstall it.
According to reporters' findings, the Microsoft 365 Personal set costs more than 2 million VND/year. Meanwhile, the Adobe set costs more than 900,000 VND/month. However, instead of installing it on the company's official pages, many users choose to install crack software.
Just type "install crack software" on Google, a series of websites appear with advertisements "full software is free, detailed installation and activation instructions"; "high-speed download, safe, clean version, 100% tested successfully on many devices". These websites guide users to download files using a link provided by them, then follow their instructions.
According to reporters' records, many websites providing crack software are currently operating publicly, with a professional interface, even labeled "reputable", "virus-free", "verified". Some sites also guide users to turn off antivirus software or firewalls before installation to avoid blocking the activated file.
Prime Minister Le Minh Hung has just issued Official Dispatch No. 38 requesting to focus on directing the drastic implementation of solutions to combat, prevent, and handle acts of intellectual property rights infringement.
In which, the Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to immediately organize inspections of compliance with regulations on computer program copyright at enterprises.
Businesses should periodically review software copyrights
Talking to reporters, network security expert Ngo Minh Hieu said that tightening software copyright is not only a matter of law compliance, but also directly related to data security and network security of individuals and businesses.
According to Mr. Hieu, most cracked software today is no longer simply an illegal copy. Many software has been interfered with, edited, and installed with additional malware or remote control tools before being spread on the network. Users when installing often have to turn off antivirus software, disable security warnings or grant system administrator rights, thereby unintentionally "opening the door" for malware to enter.
This expert believes that the biggest risk of cracked software is that users cannot know what has been edited inside the software. An installation file can work normally, but at the same time silently record keyboard operations, steal passwords, take screenshots, take browser data or download other malware to the device.
For businesses, the risk is even more serious. An employee's computer infected with malware can become a starting point for hackers to deeply penetrate the internal network, steal customer data, contracts, business documents, internal emails or encrypt the entire system for ransom.
Mr. Hieu said that businesses need to review software in many layers, starting with inventorying all software on employee computers, servers and internal systems, identifying valid software, of unknown origin, or signs of cracking. At the same time, it is necessary to apply centralized management solutions to detect illegal software, limit user management rights, block file downloads from untrusted sources, deploy endpoint protection, periodically back up data and monitor abnormal behavior in the system.
Mr. Hieu also recommended that businesses need to build clear internal regulations, strictly prohibiting employees from arbitrarily installing unapproved software. The use of copyrighted software should be considered part of risk management, similar to data protection, account protection and business reputation protection.
Mr. Hieu recommends that businesses should periodically review software copyright, not only when requested by functional agencies, because pirated and old software creates conditions for hackers. For individual users, network security experts recommend not downloading software from unclear sources, but should use applications from official websites or reputable application stores.
