Back in the late aughts, there was an article from someone at Microsoft talking about how they weren't that interested in going after people pirating Windows in the developing world, because they saw it as an opportunity for turning them into paying customers. Really - that piracy is expanding the Microsoft ecosystem, which back then was important because they viewed Linux on the desktop as a huge threat. (Is it the year of Desktop Linux yet?)
The ease with which Windows is cracked still is probably no accident, but nobody's talking about it. If you're running a business at some point your security folks are going to point out that using cracked software is how you invite attackers inside your security perimeter. (Seriously, down that path lies losing all of your bank accounts)
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/microsoft-sup...
Back in the late aughts, there was an article from someone at Microsoft talking about how they weren't that interested in going after people pirating Windows in the developing world, because they saw it as an opportunity for turning them into paying customers. Really - that piracy is expanding the Microsoft ecosystem, which back then was important because they viewed Linux on the desktop as a huge threat. (Is it the year of Desktop Linux yet?)
The ease with which Windows is cracked still is probably no accident, but nobody's talking about it. If you're running a business at some point your security folks are going to point out that using cracked software is how you invite attackers inside your security perimeter. (Seriously, down that path lies losing all of your bank accounts)