Cybercrimes are growing at an alarming rate, presenting a real and present danger to businesses everywhere. If you think this reality only applies to large organizations, think again. The truth is that while big companies make all the headlines with cyberattacks, small businesses are the ones that encounter the majority of crimes. Recent studies suggest that more than seven out of ten incidents occur at companies with less than 100 employees.[1]

Even scarier are the results of such attacks. Approximately 60 percent of impacted companies go out of business within six months of a cybercrime.[2] Those are not good odds. Even If you’ve been fortunate enough to escape such an attack to date, you may not be so lucky tomorrow.

There are however, steps that you can take to protect yourself. The first and most important one is slamming the door shut on the most common path of entry: non-genuine or unlicensed software.

According to IDC, one in three companies that obtain and install unlicensed software discovers malware.[3] Such software also increases the risk of identity and credit card theft and exposure of personal information as well as network failure and business disruption.

How the non-genuine software got there isn’t important. Most of the time, it’s innocent and accidental. In fact oftentimes, companies aren’t even aware they have any issues. This scenario presents a major problem because you end up leaving yourself vulnerable to attack without even knowing it. You could actually be under attack right now and not even know for weeks or months at which point it may be too late. And if you’re holding out hope that your antivirus or antimalware software will protect you, in many such instances with non-genuine software, it won’t. That’s because security software may not recognize non-genuine products or be able to protect you at the same level as it can with licensed software or services.

So what should you do? The best recipe for success in preventing cyberattacks is a simple one: go genuine. By going genuine, we mean using original licensed software, the real deal. As a licensed product, this software comes backed by the company that produced it, providing a wall against malware and other cybercrimes.

Microsoft provides genuine software that helps you protect your business. You also save money by not having to potentially deal with complications or issues down the road. We’re continually working non-stop with our partners to safeguard your business by helping you check your Microsoft software and eliminate the avenue to cybercrime. With just a few simple clicks, you can check to see if you’re running genuine software and take action to fix the issue if you are not.

In addition to keeping your company safe, going genuine also achieves the following:

Creates value

• Quickly complete business tasks with trusted and reliable features.
• Take advantage of world-class security to safely access work anytime, anywhere―on the mobile device of your choice.

Helps eliminate risk

• Receive automatic updates and optional downloads that help maintain security.
• Get a direct connection to Microsoft technical support engineers to troubleshoot issues and answer questions.

Maintains standards

• Use built-in anti-virus, anti-malware, and anti-spam features to help maintain compliance.
• Keep pace with evolving industry standards and data privacy rules.

Understanding if you have properly licensed Microsoft software can mean the difference between adding unexpected risk to your business or creating genuine value through the performance and protection you expect. For example, with genuine Windows, automatic updates and optional downloads protect you behind the scenes, without getting in the way of your doing business. Cloud-based versions of familiar Microsoft Office desktop applications help you work seamlessly with email, web conferencing, and document sharing. You also always have the latest version of Office. So instead of having to buy the latest version, with a simple per user subscription, you get it by default, without any additional costs.

Microsoft offers powerful and dynamic services with easy licensing options that help make sure your company is safe and sound. Let CKC Technologies Ltd work with you to determine if all of your software is licensed and help resolve issues where necessary. By protecting your company, you’ll gain the peace of mind you deserve to focus on business. To learn more, contact us today here.

Go genuine today!

[1] 2015 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR), Verizon, 2015

[2] National Cyber Security Alliance https://www.staysafeonline.org/

^[3] 2015 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR), Verizon, 2015