These are usually simple text files (.txt) or PDFs containing lists of 30-character alphanumeric strings intended to bypass official subscription payments.

The primary content of these files consists of ESET product keys, specifically for ESET Internet Security, ESET Smart Security Premium, and ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

Keys found in public text files are often blacklisted quickly by the software vendor, leading to sudden loss of protection or "trial expired" notifications.

Pirated or shared keys often prevent the antivirus from receiving critical virus signature updates, leaving the computer vulnerable to new threats.