The more counterfeit software companies use in their networks, the greater their risk of encountering IT related problems, according to a new Harrison Group study commissioned byMicrosoft. The study compared midmarket companies (defined as firms with between 24 and 500 PCs) in the U.S., U.K., China, and Brazil that use fully licensed software with ones that have allowed pirated software to play a role in their operations, in a comparison not unlike the "Goofus And Gallant" cartoon of Highlights magazine fame.
In a Monday blog post, Alex Kochis, senior product manager in the Windows Genuine Advantage group, said companies that use pirated software are more likely to encounter system failures that lead to data loss and employee downtime. "The biggest difference between companies that are committed to using genuine software and those that aren"t relates to loss of sensitive data and critical system failures that impact more employees and customers," Kochis wrote.