Here are three primary types of piracy:
Organized counterfeit sales - This is the illegal duplication and sale of copyrighted software without authorization from the copyright owner and can result in both civil and criminal penalties. These sales frequently occur online, including through online auctions and online storefronts, as well as through physical venues like flea markets and swap meets. To protect yourself from counterfeit software, please see the section below entitled "What you should watch out for when buying software".
Unlicensed use - This occurs when people and companies (including their employees) reproduce or share copies of software without adequate licenses. Unlicensed use can occur when:
- The product has a single-user license but is installed on more than one computer.
- The product is a counterfeit or restricted-use version of software and is used or sold in violation of the license terms or without proper qualifications. This includes non-qualified use of academic, not-for-resale, hardware-prebundled or trial versions.
- The product is shared over the Internet or downloaded from a peer-to-peer network in violation of federal law and license requirements.
Hard-disk loading - This is the unauthorized installation of software onto new or used computers by another person or company, typically to make the purchase of the computer a better deal.