That's weird. Trademark doesn't protect such usage. If you use the trademark to refer fake product, it's a trademark violation.

Oh for sure. I even responded saying that it's clearly parody (modified their logo to be the hacking softwares logo) and that's protected in Canada. But she kept coming and I forget who but someone said that while I'm right I'm in over my head and to decide how much I care about the site. Decided to just move on to other projects.

Also I was 17 and I imagine I was more easily intimidated.

They have to protect their trademarks or they risk losing them so they send out C&D letters so they can show they actively protect them.

My old watering hole used to get them from Archie Comics and ended up changing their name to avoid the (legal) usage of a trademarked name, mostly because they didn't want to spend the money to prove they were in the right.