A considerable 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 companies willing to break the law to save costs. Our advice? Think twice before you walk the plank.

Right now, the most popular types of pirated software are project management tools and marketing and sales software. But a massive 56% of business owners said they’d even think about using illegal cyber security software to cut costs.

Don’t do it.

Not only is pirated software unsupported – so if you have a problem with it (which you probably will), there’s no help available to rectify the issue – but it can also open your business up to more significant problems.

It’s common for cyber criminals to use pirated software to distribute malware. Some of this is designed to evade firewalls, which means that 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.

Putting things right after this kind of cyber attack can cost a fortune, and pirated software can damage your devices by causing them to slow down or overheat.

We advise our clients always to use genuine software from a reputable source. If the cost of the software seems too good to be true… it probably is.

But there’s more you can do. It would be best if you prevented unauthorized employees from downloading software that could be harmful by managing admin rights properly. And you should ensure your whole team has regular cyber security awareness training to make everyone aware of the risks to your business data.

If you’d like help finding genuine software for your business, or creating a cyber security plan, get in touch.