Background
Since early 2020, a pirated version of Wilcom’s EmbroideryStudio e4.2 has been made available for download on several social media and e-commerce platforms. Following the initial crack, there have been many pirate software vendors offering updated counterfeit copies of Wilcom EmbroideryStudio for sale.
Some vendors have falsely advertised later versions of the same pirated software as being EmbroideryStudio e4.5.
Wilcom has become aware of several incidents where damage to a user’s computer has resulted from the installation of the pirated software, and recently have also seen evidence of the corruption of embroidery files on a user’s computer. This file corruption prevents the embroidery file from being opened on ANY version of Wilcom software.
WILCOM ANNOUNCEMENT
Wilcom published a warning on their social media platforms as well as to all Wilcom EmbroideryStudio software users on the 15th July 2020. However by this time, the pirated software had been in circulation and actively used for several months.
Wilcom has been approached by some businesses that have reported the corruption of their computer files, including embroidery design files. In ALL reported cases, Wilcom has been able to verify the use of pirated EmbroideryStudio software.
It is extremely important to note that third party contractors providing outsourced digitizing services using pirated Wilcom software may supply corrupted files to customers. Those files will not be able to be opened by the customer,
even if the customer is using genuine Wilcom software.
Unfortunately, Wilcom is unable to assist customers in recovering their embroidery files. They will need to be recreated using genuine software, avoiding the risk of the file corruption re-occurring.
This is an ongoing problem, as pirated copies of EmbroideryStudio e4.2 continue to be distributed.
Corruption of embroidery files result from the use of pirated Wilcom software is not a matter which Wilcom Support can assist with.
The solution
The embroidery file corruption appears to occur in situations where embroidery files are used on a computer with a pirated version of Wilcom software.
Even if a customer owns a genuine Wilcom software license, they need to ensure that their outsourced work is done with a contractor using genuine software. If they use pirated software, then open, edit or create an embroidery file, it can become corrupted and unable to be opened by any version of Wilcom software.
Ensure your business and contractors who provide services to your business only use genuine Wilcom software.
Protect your business from pirated software and those who distribute it and use it.
Find a local authorized Wilcom distributor
wilcom.com/contact/wilcomdistributors.aspx
Report non-genuine software
piracy@wilcom.com
I read the announcement. Please clarify something. If a customer sends us an emb file that was created using pirated software, can it corrupt other files on our computers? I ask because occasionally we will have a client send us an emb file and both we and the client have no idea if the file was created using pirated software.
Wilcom cannot guarantee what the consequences of working with corrupted files will be, but they can only be corrupted by the use of pirated software. We caution all our users to check that the people they are dealing with are not using pirated software and if in doubt ask for the software dongle serial number.