A new survey by the International Data
Corporation reveals that more danger awaits PCs of those who acquire
counterfeit and pirated software in 2013, writes Temitayo Famutimi
Computer users who are in the habit of
buying ‘three for N500’ pirated software, with a view to saving money,
should have a rethink in 2013. A new survey says the chances of
infection by unexpected malware this year are quite high.
The survey by the US-based International
Data Corporation, a market research, analysis and advisory firm
specialising in information technology, telecommunications and consumer
technology, says one in three consumer and enterprise PCs with
counterfeit software installed will be infected by malware in 2013.
The survey indicates that as a result
of these infections, consumers will spend 1.5 billion hours and US$22bn
in identifying, repairing and recovering from the impact of malware,
while global enterprises will spend US$114bn to deal with the impact of a
malware-induced cyber attack in 2013.
Perhaps, one of the reasons why
consumers should be wary is that the survey estimates that the global
supply of counterfeit software to be installed in the course of the year
will exceed two billion programmes. This figure is thrice the amount in
2006.
According to the global survey, the low
price of counterfeit software would come with risks such as infection
from unwanted codes, to overrunning of the computer and stealing banking
passwords.
Also, risks such as degradation of
security protection, arising from lack of access to security updates and
code that disables antivirus programmes or personal firewalls from
running as well as degradation of application performance from computer;
and network slowdowns to complete system crashes would be a common
occurrence.
The IDC study, commissioned by Microsoft
and titled, “The Dangerous World of Counterfeit and Pirated Software,”
was released on Tuesday as part of Microsoft’s “Play It Safe” campaign, a
global initiative to bring awareness to issues related to software
piracy.
“Our research is unequivocal. Inherent
dangers lurk for consumers and businesses that take a chance on
counterfeit software. Some people choose counterfeit to save money, but
this ‘ride-along’ malware ends up putting a financial and emotional
strain on both the enterprise and casual computer users alike,” John
Gantz, Chief Researcher at IDC, says.
Experts say cyber criminals now embed
counterfeit software with dangerous malware as a new technique to prey
on computer users who are unaware of the potential danger. They say such
counterfeiters simply tamper with the software codes, lace them with
malware and the malware in turn allows them to steal a victim’s personal
and financial information.
According to experts, top sources of
pirated software are from the Internet involving websites and
peer-to-peer network; street markets, and blind borrowing of software
from friends and colleagues among others.
Speaking at an awareness programme to
mark the Play it Safe programme in Lagos on Wednesday, Country Manager,
Microsoft, Mr. Emmanuel Onyeje, explains that end users need to start
asking questions, investigate packaging, and watch for ‘too good to be
true’ prices.
He adds that there is a need for a
conscious effort by consumers such that they start demanding for genuine
software to ensure that they don’t fall victim of adverse effects of
obtaining and using pirated software and activation tools.
He says, “The IDC research clearly shows
that the chances of consumers and business encountering malicious code
in pirated and counterfeit software are high and the financial cost of
those encounters can be expensive. End users should ask for genuine
software as malware lurks in the counterfeit supply chain which is
unsecure.
“Apart from the impact of piracy on
intellectual property, creativity and innovation, pirated software and
free downloads exposes end users to cyber criminals who gain access to
your computers making them not perform optimally. Besides, purchasing
such counterfeit and pirated software amounts to funding cybercriminals
and keeping them in business.”
Onyeje adds that Microsoft will continue
to engage in research to address the issue of affordability and
accessibility of its software around the world which are one of those
reasons people patronize counterfeiters.
Chief Executive Officer of Infinitude
Technologies Limited, a start-up software development firm, David
Olaniyan, says software piracy, if not checked, will continue to kill
creativity in the information technology ecosystem.
He adds that he has embraced the use of
cloud computing technology to transform the business of software
distribution to end users rather than the conventional use of compact
discs which he said was prone to piracy.
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