Piracy, particularly in music, has become exceptionally simple, and because of the wide availability and accessibility of digital media, copyright violations have never been so widespread. Many people aren’t even aware if and when they are violating copyrights or illegally by intellectual property. A new Trojan is hoping to capitalize on this confusion. The Anti-piracy Foundation Scanner is by increased concentration on digital piracy as a pressure tactic for computer users everywhere.
What is the Anti-piracy Foundation Scanner?
There is no shortage of chance to view, download, or duplicate copyrighted material online, and many people do not realize what is copyrighted, what isn’t, and what honest use is. This is partly what can make the Antipiracy Foundation Scanner, also known as ICPP Copyright Violation Alert, I-Q Manager, the ICPP Foundation, icpp-online.com, so effective. The Trojan issues warnings to computer users that illegally downloaded material has been found in their systems; they can either take their chances in court, or skip the heavy fines and possible jail time by opting for a “pre-trial settlement.” What the computer user needs to know is that this is fake. This warning can as easily appear on computers that have never had one item violate any copyright law, but again, because of the confusion and indefinite laws, it is hard for people to know if they have committed a violation that could come back to haunt them.
Signs of the Anti-piracy Foundation Scanner
This fastidious Trojan is quite simple to identify after it has entered your system; it uses distinctive and meticulous warning messages in order to persuade you that a pre-trial settlement will be in your best interest. If affected by the icpp-online.com Trojan, you will receive a warning as follows:
Copyright violation alert
Copyright violation: copyrighted content detected
Windows has detected that you are by content that was downloaded in violation of the copyright of its respective owners. Please read the following bulleting [sic] and try solving the problem in one of the recommended ways.
What has happened?
During the system scan Antipiracy Foundation scanner has detected copyright issues. Please take a look at the list and choose an proceedings: pass the case to a court or settle it in a pre-trial order by paying a fine.
You are given the option of “Solving” the issue. This is an attractive option for many: they want the problem gone, solved. Again, though, this is a fake message, and the only thing that the scanner will solve for you is what you should do with that $400 on your credit card. The alternative, according to the pop-up is a possible five-year prison sentence and up to $250,000 in fines.
These messages start appearing continually, even after reboot. Here is another common one:
Warning! This computer is being used for unlawful activity linked with copyright violation. Records about this computer’s owner are about to be sent to court. If you saw this message by accident, please report any information about a possible owner of this comp.
Anti-piracy Foundation Scanner is designed to elicit a quick and rash response, hoping you will see that your records are going to be sent to court, that you have engaged in unlawful activities, and that you are unsure of whether or not you could have done something unlawful. The Trojan doesn’t want you to take a following glance and question yourself why a law firm, such as ICPP Foundation claims to be, would scan your computer or issue warnings, why a court system would be coming up on their findings, or what laws, if any, you did really break.
The warnings also appear to be affiliated with the RIAA and MPAA, which can give it an initial look of legitimacy. It will provide an “evidence list,” which can also look convincing until you realize that none of the numbers make any sense. These details offer only a surface layer of legitimacy.
Clicking on any part of these ads will direct you to the rogue ICPP website, which tells you:
We have developed effective and unique methods for organisations to enforce their intellectual rights. By working effectively with forensic IT experts, law firms, and anti-piracy organisations, we seek to eliminate the unlawful distribution of copyrighted material through our revolutionary affair model.
The site also says their model is able to produce revenue for copyright holders and provide a sustainable solution for digital piracy. Neither of these assertions is right.
How Did the Anti-piracy Foundation Scanner Trojan Enter Your System?
The icpp-online.com Trojan is distributed through scareware sites, which may include those with adult, gaming, social networking, freeware, or peer-to-peer content. Rogue sites can also use blackhat SEO techniques to rank high in search engine results, which can increase the chance you will click on one of the affected sites.
As soon as you see these signs, it is vital that you remove the Anti-piracy Foundation Scanner as soon as possible to prevent system instability and vulnerability to security issues.
About the Author
By Mindy Matter for www.removeadware.com.au/articles/copyright-violation-alert/.
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