About 58 per cent of software installed in computers in India in 2015 was unlicensed, according to a survey.
While the rate of installation of unlicensed software in India has shown a gradual decrease from 65 per cent in 2009 to 60 per cent in 2013, it remains significantly higher than the global average of 39 per cent, the survey by BSA, an industry body representing software makers across the world, showed.
The survey, called ‘Seizing Opportunity Through License Compliance,’ pegs the commercial value of the unlicensed software in India in 2015 at $2,684 million.
Victor Lim, Vice President, IDC Asia - Pacific Consulting Operations Group, pointed out that use of unlicensed software is still high and that individuals and companies are ‘playing with fire’ when they use unlicensed software as there is a strong connection between cyber attacks and the use of unlicensed software.
“The cost of dealing with malware incidents can be staggering. In 2015 alone, for example, cyber attacks cost businesses over $400 billion, globally,” Mr. Lim said, quoting a report by Symantec.
China firstIndia comes second after China ($8,657 million) in the Asia-Pacific Region in commercial value of unlicensed software sold in 2015. “The PC market declined more on the commercial side than the consumer side where shipments remained flat and the share of the installed base grew 3 per cent,” Tarun Sawney, Senior Director – Asia-Pacific, BSA, said.
