Research BSA: ‘Illegal software and malware closely linked’ – Dutch IT channel

The use of pirated software increases the chances of becoming infected with malware. Companies and governments should avoid the use of unlicensed software on their networks, therefore, to reduce the risks of cyber security incidents

This allows BSA |. The Software Alliance based on research conducted by international research firm IDC. The analysis shows a correlation between the amount of unlicensed PC software in a country and the amount of malware that exists in this country. “Malware infections can cause major problems. Organizations are looking for the best way to protect themselves against, “said Jodie Kelley, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of BSA | The Software Alliance. “The analysis shows that there is indeed a link between the use of pirated software and malware. This means that good software management is an essential first step to reduce cyber security risks. “

Link between pirated software and malware
research firm IDC compares in the statistical analysis the installed pirated software on PCs in 81 countries with the amount detected malware on these PCs. This data is maintained by BSA | The Software Alliance member Microsoft. The analysis shows a strong positive correlation (r = 0.79) between the amount of unlicensed software and the number of malware incidents. Further analyzes show that the amount of pirated software in a country is a strong predictor of the number of times a country is faced with malware. ?? The research is a continuation of previous research by BSA | The Software Alliance to the worldwide use of unlicensed software. The BSA Global Software Survey Report 2014 shows that in the previous year, 25% of the software installed in the Netherlands was unlicensed, compared with 43% worldwide. It also appears to prevent malware to be the main reason for computer users to use legitimate software. Of all the risks that entails illegal software, 64% of users consider the unauthorized access from hackers as the main risk. 54% mainly looking at the loss of data. ?

‘Perform internal audits’ BSA |? The Software Alliance encourages organizations to implement internal controls, such as ISO affiliates Software Asset Management activities (SAM). With these controls, organizations are assured that all software installed on their systems is fully licensed in order to reduce its cyber threats.