Adobe starts a new war on software piracy

Adobe software is among the most expensive out there, so it should come as little surprise that the likes of Photoshop, Illustrator and Acrobat are among the most commonly pirated titles. In a bid to clamp down on piracy, the company has launched a new initiative that seeks out "non-genuine software" and issues warnings to people.

At the moment it appears as though the checks are restricted to the US and Adobe seems to be checking Acrobat X licenses. But while the scope is limited right now, it's hard to imagine that the Software Integrity Service checks won't be rolled out on a wider scale and include more Adobe products.

The validation system bears more than a passing resemblance to Microsoft's Windows Genuine Advantage program. It is not really being billed as a way to ensure that Adobe gets its money, rather that it is a way to protect people against potentially dangerous unofficial software. Adobe says:

Adobe now runs validation tests and notifies people who are using non-genuine software. Our tests check for software tampering and invalid licenses.

If you've received a notification, that means the software on your machine isn't a genuine Adobe product. It isn't covered by a warranty or our support programs. And because it may not perform as we intended, it could pose risks to you and your work.

Oddly, there are no penalties -- for now -- if non-genuine software is detected. The little popup that appears simply reads: "Adobe validation testing has found this copy of Acrobat is not genuine. Click here so we can help. For more information, visit: adobe.com/genuine".

According to TorrentFreak, Adobe says that no one will get into trouble for running non-genuine software, and the popup can be clicked away. The Adobe Genuine Software website gives no indication that non-genuine software will be limited, and simply advises that users uninstall the offending software and report the retailer they bought it from.

Photo credit: Waldemarus / Shutterstock