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I have a problem to identify whether a software (an application) comes from legal version or pirated version (crack)?

Please help me out. I would appreciate for any suggestion.

Thanks.

Deni Yulianti
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2 Answers2

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The only means of knowing would be to check with the customer care unit of the company whose product your buying. Usually they will check the key you have to ascertain its validity.

Apart from that it would be hard to know especially when the software was well cracked. The company alone would have the means to check their records.

George Udosen
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  • Actually i wanna check the software whether they are genuine or not. could we know using some information from properties of the software (right click at the software and choose properties)? From the details and digital signatures. if it has copyright at the details and has digital signatures, could we conclude that the software is genuine? – Deni Yulianti Dec 03 '16 at 13:06
  • @Deni that answer is not that possible as software method for checking authenticity differs per vendor. The best check is the key. It can be done from the app itself or y checking with the vendor. Some apps will connect with the official site to check, others will not. So there is no standard means to do so. The key has the copyright and digital signature information stored there and the vendors are the ones that can decrypt it to determine if your copy is genuine. You the user won't be able to do that. – George Udosen Dec 03 '16 at 13:18
  • if so, how to do the software audit to determine genuine or not? please help me out. – Deni Yulianti Dec 03 '16 at 13:25
  • Are you a vendor or checking use of authenticated software for perhaps your firm? – George Udosen Dec 03 '16 at 13:29
  • not at all. but if the software does not need the license, how do i identify that the software from the right source. for instance, LINE and here is the link for downloading https://line.me/en-US/download or SKYPE and https://www.skype.com/en/download-skype/skype-for-computer/ is used to download, but basically we can download from other sources. However, I wanna identify that software is come from the correct source. Thanks for prompt reply :). – Deni Yulianti Dec 03 '16 at 14:18
  • I didn't say it does not require license its just how these licenses are authenticated that differ. Now from your download link. If i want to see if its ok i follow link and look at the browser address bar you should see a padlock in my case firefox but will be different with other browsers. first the address must end in https but not always the case. if i click on the padlock icon information about Microsoft appears from here i can click further to see more, and note browsers also make sure the connection is from MS by checking the certificate and warning you if its not. – George Udosen Dec 03 '16 at 14:29
  • I mean, Can I conclude if I see the properties of the software has digital signatures from the its company and the details has the copyright and original filename. for example, the software is procexp, digital signature is Microsoft Corporation with digest algorithm sha1, and the details are: original filename is procexp.exe and copyright is copyright 1998-2014 Mark Russinovi. so that for above sample, can i conclude the procexp is genuine since it is come from right source. – Deni Yulianti Dec 03 '16 at 14:41
  • Yes all those are also provided. Like I said it depends on the vendor. You will definitely see copyright notice, but the sha1 signature may not be given, but nowadays when downloading it is given so you can compare to that of the file. Some even have a page for their sha1 signatures which you can check your against the official one. Methods vary, but its best the user know what he/she wants and is looking for else you can be easily fooled. – George Udosen Dec 03 '16 at 14:48
  • so what is your suggestion to me for identification that the software is genuine (download from original source) or not. i talk about free software and don't talk about software that has license. – Deni Yulianti Dec 03 '16 at 15:07
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    Even free software has genuine license, always download from source or authenticated/approved resellers or distributors. – George Udosen Dec 03 '16 at 15:12
  • Yes, I see. it has to download from authenticated distributor. however, how do i recognize the software from authenticated/approved resellers or distributors or not? If I have many softwares, what i have to do to recognize it? kindly please help me out. thanks a lot for prompt reply and your kindness. – Deni Yulianti Dec 03 '16 at 15:18
  • Check from vendor for their authorized reseller sites, always check for the SSL padlock key icon when on site-- aka https. Read up on security tips to spot fake sites. Also speak to their customer care departments if in doubt about a particular product. Also look for special security features on the physical products as pointed out by the vendors, MS and others have these features on their products. These special features information can be gotten from the vendors themselves. – George Udosen Dec 03 '16 at 15:24
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You could try computing a hash of the application and it's related library files against either the published hash (if available) from the vendor, or if you have a legit copy of the program in question, create your own hash. The easiest way to create a has in Windows is get-FileHash.

If the hashes are different, then the program / files have been modified.

Rob
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  • Actually i wanna check the software whether they are genuine or not. could we know using some information from properties of the software (right click at the software and choose properties)? From the details and digital signatures. if it has copyright at the details and has digital signatures, could we conclude that the software is genuine? – Deni Yulianti Dec 03 '16 at 13:04