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I was listening to KWUF the other morning, and a
commercial during the top-of-the-hour news got my
attention. The ad said "Is unlicensed software
being used at your workplace? You can collect a
bounty reward of up to $1,000,000 with your
confidential tip. Just go to
www.nopiracy.com"
So
even if pirated software isn't on your radar screen,
your employees are motivated to put it on theirs.
When was the last time you conducted an audit of
your company's computers to check for unlicensed
software? Having pirated software is not only a huge
financial risk, but it can also open up your network
to viruses and security threats. Companies must
manage their software just as carefully as they
would any other aspect of their business.
Case Study:
Steven was recently hired as the inventory manager
for a small electronics firm. Steven's new employer
- IHT Electronics - does not have a centralized IT
department, and as a result the firm's 75 employees
have been free to make illegal copies of unlicensed
software and install them on the firm's computers.
In fact, this behavior is encouraged by the firm's
owner, who argues that the software they need to run
the business is too expensive for such a small firm.
Steven needs his job and is reluctant to say
anything about the piracy. At the same time,
however, he knows that piracy is illegal and that
everyone will get in trouble if they are caught.
During his spare time, Steven decides to do a bit
more research on software piracy in order to find
out what his options are. His search leads him to
Business Software Alliance.
Click here to read the rest of Steven's story...
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