I'm sure there are ways of pirating rockwell/siemens software and publishing them on Ebay. Just as an academic statement, cracked software should be able to work. The ethicality of this is definitely questionable, but just like any other piece of downloadable software, it can possibly be cracked and used. This forum does not condone piracy, and with good measure. Having automation software pirated with malicious intent can have very real consequences. Imagine if a Studio5k safety routine appends a simple counter without showing it in the ladder window, which disables the EStop features after 100 counts(Enough for runoffs). There would be no accountability. We have people's lives in our control through the machines we program, even though piracy might be a cheaper cop out for individuals, it's not the way to go.
I was invited to an industrial automation security seminar hosted by a university professor, and one of the things that might soon come to our industry is traceable supply chain where even end point devices(Even sensors) have vetted and regularly audited people who make and deliver them as a measure for better national infrastructure security. The idea of non-vetted programming devices seems very contradictory to this thought process.
