US-CERT Cyber Security Tip ST05-004 -- Avoiding Copyright Infringement

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       		      Cyber Security Tip ST05-004
		    Avoiding Copyright Infringement

   Although copyright may seem to be a purely legal issue, using
   unauthorized files could have security implications. To avoid
   prosecution and minimize the risks to your computer, make sure you
   have permission to use any copyrighted information, and only download
   authorized files.

How does copyright infringement apply to the internet?

   Copyright  infringement  occurs when you use or distribute information
   without permission from the person or organization that owns the legal
   rights  to  the information. Including an image or cartoon on your web
   site  or  in  a  document,  illegally  downloading music, and pirating
   software  are  all common copyright violations. While these activities
   may  seem  harmless,  they  could  have  serious  legal  and  security
   implications.

How do you know if you have permission to use something?

   If  you  find  something on a web site that you'd like to use (e.g., a
   document,  a  chart,  an  application),  search  for information about
   permissions  to  use,  download,  redistribute, or reproduce. Most web
   sites  have a "terms of use" page that explains how you are allowed to
   use  information  from  the  site  (see  US-CERT's terms of use for an
   example). You can often find a link to this page in the site's contact
   information  or  privacy  policy,  or  at  the bottom of the page that
   contains the information you are interested in using.

   There  may be restrictions based on the purpose, method, and audience.
   You  may  also  have  to  adhere to specific conditions about how much
   information you are allowed to use or how the information is presented
   and  attributed.  If you can't locate the terms of use, or if it seems
   unclear,  contact  the  individual  or  organization  that  holds  the
   copyright to ask permission.

What consequences could you face?

     * Prosecution   -   When   you  illegally  download,  reproduce,  or
       distribute information, you risk legal action. Penalties may range
       from  warnings  and  mandatory removal of all references to costly
       fines.  Depending on the severity of the crime, jail time may also
       be  a  possibility.  To offset their own court costs and the money
       they  feel  they  lose  because  of  pirated software, vendors may
       increase the prices of their products.
     * Infection  -  Attackers  could take advantage of sites or networks
       that  offer unauthorized downloads (music, movies, software, etc.)
       by  including  code into the files that would infect your computer
       once it was installed (see Understanding Hidden Threats: Corrupted
       Software  Files  and  Understanding  Hidden  Threats: Rootkits and
       Botnets  for  more  information).  Because  you  wouldn't know the
       source  or  identity  of  the infection (or maybe that it was even
       there),  you  might  not  be able to easily identify or remove it.
       Pirated  software with hidden Trojan horses is often advertised as
       discounted  software  in  spam  email  messages  (see Why is Cyber
       Security a Problem? and Reducing Spam for more information).

References

     * U.S. Copyright Office - <http://www.copyright.gov/>
     * Copyright on the Internet -
       <http://www.fplc.edu/tfield/copynet.htm>
     _________________________________________________________________

     Author: Mindi McDowell
     _________________________________________________________________

     Produced 2005 by US-CERT, a government organization.

     Note: This tip was previously published and is being re-distributed 
     to increase awareness. 
  
     Terms of use
 
     <http://www.us-cert.gov/legal.html>
  
     This document can also be found at
 
     <http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/tips/ST05-004.html>
 

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