Computer users in Vietnam are using unlicensed software at an alarming rate, despite the link between unlicensed software and cyber attacks, according to the new Global Software Survey from BSA | The Software Alliance.
The survey, Seizing Opportunity Through License Compliance, found that in Vietnam, the percent of software installed on computers that was not properly licensed was 78 percent. This represents a notable three-point decrease compared with BSA’s prior study in 2013.
This rate of access has been influenced in part by important trends under way in Vietnam. The overall market for PCs dropped, especially for consumers, but the installed base went up. With the installed base growing, the "installed base effect" put upward pressure on the unlicensed rate. However, this was countered by increased software copyright enforcement and the government’s national awareness program.
“As the report underscores, it is critically important for a company to be aware of what software is on the company network,” said BSA |The Software Alliance President and CEO Victoria A. Espinel. “Many CIOs don’t know the full extent of software deployed on their systems or if that software is legitimate.”
The survey, which canvassed consumers, IT managers, and enterprise PC users, reinforces that use of unlicensed software is still high, and that individuals and companies are playing with fire when they use unlicensed software. This is due to the strong connection between cyber attacks and the use of unlicensed software. Where unlicensed software is in use, the likelihood of encountering malware dramatically goes up.And the cost of dealing with malware incidents can be staggering. In 2015 alone, for example, cyber attacks cost businesses over $400 billion.
Other findings show that 39 percent of software installed on computers around the world in 2015 was not properly licensed, representing only a modest decrease from 43 percent in BSA’s previous global study in 2013.
The report adds that companies can mitigate the cyber security risks of unlicensed software by ensuring all software is purchased from legitimate sources and establishingan in-house software asset management (SAM) program. Organizations that effectively deploy SAM will know what's on their network, and whether it is legitimate and licensed; will optimize their use of software by deploying software that's the best fit for their businesses; will have policies and procedures in place that govern procurement, deployment, and retirement of software; and will have integrated SAM fully into their business.
Highlights in this year’s survey, by region, include:
The region with the highest overall rate of unlicensed software was Asia-Pacific at 61 percent, a one-point decline compared with BSA’s previous survey in 2013.
The next-highest unlicensed software rate was in Central and Eastern Europe with 58 percent (falling three-points from the rate registered in 2013), and then the Middle East-Africa at 57 percent (dropping two-points since 2013).
North America continues to have the lowest regional rate at 17 percent, although this constitutes a significant commercial value of $10 billion.
In Western Europe the overall rate dropped onepoint to 28 percent.
Seizing Opportunity Through License Compliance, BSA’s Global Software Survey which includes a breakdown of country-specific data, is available at
www.bsa.org/globalstudy.
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