A huge number of small and medium-sized businesses would consider using pirated software to try and save money. A new study has revealed a surprising number of businesses willing to break the law to save costs. We would suggest thinking twice before you walk the plank.

Right now, the most popular types of pirated software are project management tools, and marketing and sales software. A huge 56% of business owners said that they would even think about using illegal cyber security software in an effort to cut costs. Do Not Do It!!!

Not only is pirated software unsupported – meaning that if you have a problem with it (which you probably will) there is no help to rectify it. This isn’t all though, it can open your business up to bigger problems too.

It is common for cyber criminals to use pirated software to distribute malware. Some of this is designed to evade firewalls, which means once installed, it can spread malicious files beyond your device to your entire network. That can lead to your sensitive data being compromised or stolen.

The cost of putting things right after this kind of cyber-attack can end up costing a fortune, and the pirated software can damage your devices by causing them to slow down or overheat. We advise our clients to always use genuine software from a reputable source. If the cost of the software seems to good to be true…it probably is.

There is more you can do. You should prevent unauthorised employees from downloading software that could be harmful by managing admin rights properly. You should ensure your whole team has regular cyber security awareness training to make everyone aware of the risks to your businesses data.

If you would like help or advice on finding genuine software for your business then please get in touch.

Published with permission from Your Tech Updates.