Software piracy occurs when one or more of the following happen:
- Software has been modified or hacked.
- Keys or accounts that are known to have been stolen are copied, sold, or used.
- Usage is not in line with the licensing Terms of Use.
Software piracy exposes businesses and consumers to security threats including malware, spyware, and viruses, and leads to decreased efficiencies in organizations.
There are several options, depending on the situation:
- If you have received a notification from Adobe indicating your software is not genuine, click the link provided in the notification to learn more. Look for the option to purchase genuine Adobe software, or phone Customer Support for more information. If someone else in your organization is responsible for software purchase, you can check with them first.
- While installing software, if you receive a notification that you have an invalid serial number, it's probably because Adobe has blocked the serial number due to misuse. Follow the notification to the landing page for options to resolve.
- If you believe that you have other or additional non-genuine or counterfeit software, you can purchase genuine software directly from Adobe at Adobe.com.
Visit the www.adobe.com/genuine page and follow the appropriate link and instructions.
Adobe develops programs to ensure that customers are educated, informed, and protected throughout all stages of the purchase and usage cycle. Programs include:
- Education about the benefits of using genuine Adobe software
- Working with organizations to prevent software piracy
- Investigating and bringing legal action against resellers of non-genuine or counterfeit software, including online marketplaces
- Blocking serial numbers that have been obtained or generated illegally
- And informing customers that they have non-genuine or counterfeit software, either when reinstalling or during product use
Only genuine Adobe software provides guaranteed access to the latest updates, features, and functionality enabling customers and organizations to maintain optimal productivity with less chance of performance issues. Plus, Adobe only supports and warrants genuine Adobe software. By buying genuine Adobe software, customers gain peace of mind knowing that they are using reliable software.
It is common for individuals and organizations to end up unknowingly purchasing and using non-genuine software with unscrupulous resellers and online marketplaces often going to great lengths to make non-genuine software appear genuine. Other users may only realize they are using software that is incorrectly licensed when they receive a notification.
Using non-genuine software poses a risk for individuals and organizations. Non-genuine software has frequently been modified leading to issues such as:
- Increased risk of exposure to viruses or spyware that can destroy or compromise data
- Increased chance of the software not functioning correctly, or failing completely
- Limited access to customer support, upgrades, and technical documentation
Invalid and revoked serial numbers are serial numbers that have been blocked by Adobe because they have been obtained or generated illegally by unauthorized resellers. When Adobe discovers this fraudulent behavior, these keys are deactivated to prevent further abuse. Customers may only realize that serial numbers have been blocked when they attempt to install or reinstall the software.
Adobe uses a set of technologies, services, and capabilities that can identify whether an installed Adobe product is genuine or non-genuine. When non-genuine installations are found (via a validation process), the service can inform users that their software is not genuine through a pop-up notification. It also provides options to resolve the problem. In addition to the pop-up notification, customers can also view the validation process running in their activity monitor or task manager.
Currently, software validation test results are only available to users who have received a notification from Adobe indicating that they are using software that is not genuine. If you received a notification, you will be able to see your software validation test results by clicking the notification.
The ‘Licensing Status’ column gives you more information about the serial number(s) for the software that you are using.
- ‘Pass’ indicates that the serial number has passed the most recent validation test.
- 'Fail’ indicates that this software has failed validation. It is displayed when the serial number was not issued by Adobe, or the serial number is known to be used in stolen or counterfeit software, and is therefore compromised.
- ‘Fail – subscription required’ indicates that this a subscription version of the software that is improperly licensed.
- ‘Fail - Trial Use Only’ indicates this software was meant for trial use only, and is beyond its trial period.
The service checks across different versions of Adobe software, and verifies the integrity of the software and validity of the licenses. More information is available on Adobe.com at http://www.adobe.com/privacy/policy.html.