Don't plan on using any games or bootleg software downloaded from the Pirate Bay on Windows 10. The End User License Agreement in the new operating system makes it clear that Windows 10 is capable of scanning user machines and prohibiting them from using any services that appear to have been obtained illegally.

Section 7b of Microsoft's Services EULA (under “Updates to the Services or Software, and Changes to These Terms”) warns users that Windows 10 “may automatically check your version of the software and download software updates or configuration changes, including those that prevent you from accessing the services, playing counterfeit games, or using unauthorized hardware peripheral devices.”

By agreeing to these terms, Alphr.com reported, users are enabling Microsoft to sift through their files in search of the vaguely defined “unauthorized hardware peripheral devices,” which could mean anything from modified Xbox controllers to unauthorized versions of Microsoft Office.

What's more clear is that corporate patience with pirated games and software is running out. Video game makers have increasingly required users to input an activation code that comes with purchased copies of the game before they're allowed to play online, limiting the appeal of a pirated copy. Adobe, in response to seemingly endless Photoshop piracy, recently unveiled a subscription-only version of the popular editing software, only to have that pirated and redistributed within a day of its release.

Microsoft has yet to publicly clarify what its EULA actually means, but this update is just the latest bone of contention for users concerned about their privacy. It was previously reported that Windows 10 will monitor users and send regular updates on their activity back to the company, even if they say they wish to share nothing at all.