Enterprises will have to spend nearly $500 billion in 2014 to deal with issues caused by malware deliberately loaded onto pirated software, $127 billion dealing with security issues of which $8 billion accrues from the Middle East and Africa, $364 billion dealing with data breaches.
Global consumers are expected to spend $25 billion, including Middle East and African consumers who will pay $2 billion, on security threats and costly computer fixes stemming from malware on pirated software which will be equal to 1.2 billion hours of wasted time in 2014.
60 per cent of consumers’ surveyed say their greatest fear from infected software is the loss of data, files or personal information, 51 per cent unauthorized internet transactions, 50 percent of hijacking email, social networking and bank accounts. The major problem with 43% of the population is that they don’t install security updates leaving their computers prone to cyber attacks. This is according to a study titled “The Link Between Pirated Software and Cybersecurity Breaches.”
“There is now a firm link between the detected malware on illicit software and criminal organizations, for which malware in pirated software can be a lucrative vector for cyberattacks. With many of these criminal organizations also behind the distribution of infected software, it means that an increase in software piracy translates to an increased vulnerability to cyber attacks,” says Daniel Kamau, Anti piracy lead for West, East and Central Africa and Indian Ocean Islands.
Kenya’s copyright act last amended in 2013 clearly sets out exclusive rights for right holders and penalties for those who infringe on copyright and related rights. There is more to protecting though which has to be highlighting the risks associated with using unauthorized software.
- Nearly two-thirds of enterprise losses ($315 billion) will be at the hands of organized criminals.
- Nearly 20 percent of the pirated software in enterprises is installed by employees.
- Twenty-eighty percent of enterprise respondents reported security breaches causing network, computer or website outages occurring every few months or more; 65 percent of those outages involved malware on end-user computers.
