In a recently published white paper, “The Surprising Risks of Counterfeit Software in Business,” Microsoft revealed that 37 percent of the 30 midsize companies in the study had unknowingly purchased counterfeit software. All of the counterfeit software was professionally packaged and looked deceptively genuine, down to the detail of imitating embedded holograms, says Cori Hartje. “The best way to protect companies is by educating people about software piracy and providing tools to help identify and prevent the risks of counterfeit software before they purchase and install it in their workplace.”

Office Genuine Advantage and Windows Genuine Advantage along with the Microsoft Software Inventory Analyzer (MSIA) are designed to let customers easily find out if they have been duped.

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