Cybercrimes are growing at an alarming rate, presenting a real and present danger to businesses everywhere. Most at risk are small companies. That’s because these businesses lack the necessary means needed to build a strong defense, making them easy prey for cybercriminals.

Recent studies show 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 managed to avoid such attacks so far, that provides no insurance for today, tomorrow, or even this very moment.

While you can’t do anything about the number of incidents occurring daily, you can take action to protect yourself. The best move to make is to slam the door shut on the path that most criminals use to gain entry into your network: non-genuine software.

How the non-genuine software got there isn’t important. Most of the time, it’s innocent and accidental. What you need to focus on is finding it and getting it off of your network as soon as possible. Don’t make the mistake of thinking your antivirus software is protecting you. In many instances with non-genuine software, it lacks the information to properly protect your network.

Once your network is rid of the dangerous software, there’s only one way to ensure your business remains safe and sound: go genuine. Genuine refers to licensed software that comes backed by the company that produced it, providing a wall against malware and other cybercrimes. Microsoft provides genuine software that helps safeguard your business and saves you money by protecting you against costly repairs. You create value, eliminate risk, and help maintain compliance standards. Here are some of the benefits you receive:

• Trusted and reliable features that help you quickly complete business tasks.
• World-class security to safely access work anytime, anywhere on the mobile device of your choice.
• Automatic updates and optional downloads that help maintain security.
• Direct connections to Microsoft technical support engineers to troubleshoot issues and answer questions.
• Built-in anti-virus, anti-malware, and anti-spam features to help maintain compliance.
• The ability to keep pace with evolving industry standards and data privacy rules.

Going genuine applies to all Microsoft software and services. Below we focus on Microsoft Windows, the number one operating system that small businesses around the world rely on every day.

Genuine Windows

Genuine Windows keeps your network safe, your business competitive, and your stellar reputation intact with employees, partners, and customers. You save valuable time completing business tasks without having to worry about licensing interruptions. Most important, only genuine Windows comes fully backed by Microsoft. That means you receive access to all updates and optional downloads.

Benefits include the following:

• Built-in antivirus and antimalware features minimize the risks associated with counterfeit software, including viruses, spyware, and other malicious software.
• Reliability that helps minimize system failures and security breaches.
• Faster and better performance than non-genuine options.
• Insurance that your company is in full compliance with Microsoft Software License Terms and is seen as a trustworthy, reputable business partner by your employees, partners, and customers.

The best way to get a proper Windows license is to buy it preinstalled on your device. If that’s not an option, than take a few simple clicks to ensure your software is genuine and then work with one of our experienced partners to resolve any issues if necessary.

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. 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 about checking your Windows operating system or genuine Windows contact us today by clicking here.

Go genuine today!

¹ – 2015 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR), Verizon, 2015
² – 2015 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR), Verizon, 2015