Featured Article from Software Licensing

Unlicensed software use remains a significant problem, according to a new survey released by the Business Software Alliance and research firm IDC (News - Alert). According to the findings, 39 percent of software installed globally is unlicensed, with a combined commercial value of more than $52 billion.

The findings of the Global Software Survey were revealed in a blog post from Flexera Software, which specializes in software licensing and optimization solutions. The research examined the quantity and value of unlicensed software installed on PCs. While the number was down a bit from the 43 percent reported in a previous survey, a significant amount of unlicensed software is still being used across a broad range of industries.

The financial services sector was one of the largest culprits, with 25 percent of the software used globally in banking, insurance and securities being unlicensed. The fact that this sector relies heavily on technology and software and is one of the most regulated vertical markets makes the findings somewhat surprising.

Additional findings of the survey include the fact that around 15 percent of employees install software on company networks without authorization, creating security risks and the threat of costly software audits. And CIOs are aware of the problem, with 49 percent of them pinpointing threats from malware resulting from unlicensed software as a major security issue.

The survey findings point to the importance of businesses having a software asset management (SAM) program in place. Organizations may potentially save up to 25 percent per year by getting rid of over-licensed applications and unused software. SAM solutions also provide automated software asset management and license optimization that take into account specific vendor license entitlements and the complex licensing models in use in some vertical markets.

Businesses don’t have to spend exorbitant amounts of money to remain compliant with software and license mandates. By having a comprehensive program in place, organizations can maximize their software investments without paying for applications or resources they aren’t actively using.