The Microsoft Store has several fraudulent paid versions of free and open source apps

The Microsoft Store is not particularly known for its robust app curation, though it has a huge problem in the other direction: There are several listings of paid software that's actually just open source software packaged and illegitimately released.

According to a report by Martin Brinkmann at gHacks based on a thread on the Portable Freeware Collection Forums, the issue is summarized as such:

"Some developers convert open source applications to the UWP format to offer these applications on the Microsoft Store. Some of these programs are offered for money and some are in violation of the original application's license as they may lack attribution or may not be offered for money."

These apps being listed on the Microsoft Store for money are violating open source licenses, not giving any credit to the original development team.

Examples of software being sold without permission and in violation of the original open source license include ScreenToGif, OBS Studio, PhotoDemon, and Captura.

Though many of these unauthorized application listings have been reported to Microsoft, support and response from Microsoft has been few and far between.

Further coverage: gHacks Tech News