can a crack affect an antivirus engine?

You could also execute a keygen in a sandbox within a VM

Out of a security perspective I wouldn't use any cracked/patched AV software, keygen sandboxed/VM'ed or text file is acceptable but I'd rather use a paid license or free software.

 

Free AVs, like AVIRA AntiVir, avast!, and MSE offer effective protection.

Add an On-Demand Scanner, like Emsisoft Free or MBAM free,

and you are more-than-enough protected!


So, WHY bother with Cracks?

 

Mr.PC

 

My recommendation from the viewpoint of an AV vendor: don't do it (don't use cracked AV software).

You'd be surprised how easy it is for the software vendor to target you. In case of avast, for example, we sometimes send special "upgrades" to the users of our cracked/keygened versions. And I think many other AV vendors do the same.

Thanks
Vlk

 

Vlk, if it is so "easy" for you to detect the cracked version, why do you allow them at all?
I can't believe in the story of "oh, the user could get used to our software and then he/she could buy it...".

 

I love it. The upgrade that is actually a downgrade.

 

Although I agree wholeheartedly to not use any cracked software; What if some naive user was targeted by some unscrupulous seller, what is the "special upgrade" doing to the machine?

 

They use a cracked version, but they still use our product and they're our users. We like our users even though we're against software piracy.

So what we typically want to do is downgrade the users of cracked pay-for versions to our free product. That's fair to everyone.

Thanks
Vlk

 

It's a good policy. You don't lose your users.
But are you doing that to every cracked version? Why do you take such a time to do this "freewarezation"?
The license.avastlic scheme wasn't bypassed yet I suppose.

 

No its still not being able to perfectly bypass the v5 of avast

 

Exactly what I've thought...
I'm proud that I do not need to envy them: I have one

 

No, money *is* a factor, along with the lack of information/awareness. A computer itself costs a lot for many, many people. I have seen it myself......Buying original software is costly, especially the essential ones and especially for students who receive barely enough money from home/their stipends to make ends meet (the fact that nobody offers students software discounts here doesn't help one bit!). The prices of certain AVs like Kaspersky have come down enough to be affordable, but others (e.g. Norton) are just way too costly even today. And this, along with the "why pay for something that should be free" mindset causes most of the piracy.....Also, there are other matters which take more priority for students/people, due to which they basically try to spend minimum on their computers....(of course that situation changes depending on the particular case but I've seen enough to make it a significant factor).

 

avast protection - as well as Avira, Comodo and AVG - could be achieved (in most degree) by they're free product. It couldn't justify piracy. Comodo releases ALL the (strict) security programs
for free by their policy. They don't make money with them. Protection is an attitude for them.

 

A lot of people haven't even heard of "avast" or Comodo in my friends group here in India....If I just say something by word-of-mouth that "Avast" is a good free Antivirus, a lot don't know what to look for. They may find the avast site (for example), but they usually end up downloading the "best" version (i.e. Pro/Internet Security), and upon discovering that they have to pay beyond the time period, they decide to crack instead due to factors I mentioned earlier rather than using the free version, because again they are afraid of losing features and are unaware of other free firewalls, anti-spam products, etc.

So yes, awareness is probably the biggest problem......

(But, I guess, this is a discussion for a different thread - we are just discussing how a crack affects an AV engine, right?)

 

Yes, you're right. This is one of the major fights of Comodo team: teach people about they could achieve security for free.

You're right again. Sorry the "hijacking" the thread.

 

I just downloaded a crack for avast internet security and tested it in virtual pc
avast didnt detect it as threat but emsisoft and prevx did !

 

Well, could you update your antivirus? How long will you be able to do so?

That is what I've asked Vlk before.

 

to get Avast key or Avg key kaspersky key, or keys like that ppl just go to www.******.com


Everyone on this forum know What site i mean, and there ppl are millions everyday so they get easy an key who work,



2 programs who make it realy hard to crack/keygen are panda AV, Bullguard.

 

Thanks, man.

 

Prevx can't be cracked.

 

Not true, 2000days license:

Found the sreenshot on a forum.

 

I would have thought that if a av has been "cracked" then it has actually been interfered with in some way,so who really knows what other way the crack is interfering with the products operation?prob a key gen will be safe but with all the free products available why bother?

 

That's very very old and as I can remember not working fully.
This screenshot is from latest version and looks better, but you'll not gonna find it anywhere

 

I've used many software pirates, even many, but one to two years here it has been decreasing, even today do not use pirated anything, my Norton was bought and Hitman Pro and free version. I think it fair that those who make the program has a just reward.

Sorry for my english.

 

There is no crack/permanent solution for Kaspersky Internet Security 2011 (11.0.1.400a), because this cannot be cracked. All other antivirus cracked versions/patches/keygens/blah blah are available on internet (never use cracked antivirus).