Just like any other digital product, software can be stolen, replicated, or altered. Looking to make a quick buck, hackers might try to sell infected copies of software for “discount” prices, or spread misinformation about your business.
Even if you don’t intentionally install copies of software without proper licenses, can you say the same for your employees? In a study performed by research firm IDC, the National University of Singapore, and Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit, showed that “pirated software infected with malware was projected to cost enterprises $126.9 billion worldwide in 2014, $22 billion in North America alone.”
What About Expired Software Licenses?
Software licenses are extremely sensitive to expiration dates. If they aren’t renewed in a timely manner, what happens? Consider this scenario; your team members are on about to complete a mission-critical initiative or project. Just when they’re about to apply the finishing touches, the software prevents them from continuing their work. The Result: Disaster.
One way to avoid this outcome is by organizing all of your software licenses so that they need to be renewed either on or around the same date. This makes it much easier to remember to do so, considering you’re only remembering one date rather than several. Better yet, get CTN to arrange auto renewals for you.
Whose Reputation is at Stake?
It’s not just your business, but the developer’s reputation as well, that will suffer if you’re the victim of a hacked software scandal. Moreover, using compromised software or even counterfeit or pirated software can incur heavy legal fees. According to CyberTrend, “Many employees in big companies believe that if they steal a program behind a firewall, they may never be found. But many developers have tracking systems that identify who their visitors are and what they’re viewing.”
So, regardless of whether it’s intentional or not, you can expect to be held accountable if your organization is ever caught using software obtained through illicit means.
Despite the fact that updating your licenses and end-user agreements should always be done, some companies simply don’t have the time or resources to ensure that it happens in a timely manner. We recommend that you outsource this responsibility to CTN. Furthermore, our remote monitoring and maintenance solution can make sure that your organization’s systems are operating as intended. For more information, give us a call at (610) 828-5500.