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This article analyzes how software pirates who formed the 'warez scene' appropriated telephone network infrastructures and Bulletin Board System (or BBS) technology to circulate computer software across national borders. This paper is shedding more light on the roots of contemporary internet-based software piracy by investigating how appropriation of international telephone networks contributed to the globalization of digital software distribution. It also highlights the mundane aspects of the organization of media convergence on the junction between analog and digital technologies. Here I argue that the use of telephone networks as a means of transnational software distribution is an instance of actors setting up a convergent media environment driven by the cultural logic of a specific subculture. My paper provides an overview of BBS technology to demonstrate how it linked analog and digital domains and then outlines its cultural significance, ultimately discussing the appropriation of BBSes and their role in transnational expansion of 'the scene'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we analyze a method for detecting software piracy. A metamorphic generator is used to create morphed copies of a base piece of software. A hidden Markov model is trained on the opcode sequences extracted from these morphed copies and the resulting trained model is used to score suspect software to determine its similarity to the base software. A high score indicates that the suspect software may be a modified version of the base software, suggesting that further investigation is warranted. In contrast, a low score indicates that the suspect software differs significantly from the base software. We show that our approach is robust, in the sense that the base software must be extensively modified before it is not detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in Internet and other digital technologies have opened up new channels and methods for online business. They have also led to a situation where the same channels can be abused and misused. One of these forms of technology abuse, which is becoming increasingly prevalent these days, is the piracy of digital content. This article introduces a relatively comprehensive and unified theoretical framework for studying and understanding a major aspect of digital piracy: namely, software piracy. Based on Routine Activities Theory, Rational Choice Theory, and guardianship concepts, the framework identifies key parameters that can affect the incidence of software piracy. We apply the framework in conducting a systematic examination of 75 articles dealing with software piracy. The examination reveals that a considerable number of parameters have received little or no attention from software-piracy researchers. In addition to suggesting research opportunities, the framework furnishes a systematic approach for structuring the design of future research studies in the realm of software piracy. The insights furnished by this article contribute to future investigations of the software-piracy phenomenon that are needed to avert the economic and social damage caused by software piracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]