The businesses improved their cybersecurity situation and obeyed the law by eliminating illegal software and replacing it with licensed programs after the software alliance BSA launched a campaign on legalizing software in ASEAN last September.

The campaign aims at providing information and knowledge to CEOs about the risks related to the use of pirated software, including network security holes and financial losses due to copyright infringement. It persuades them to proactively comply with the law before examinations are carried out.

The latest report of BSA showed that in the last six months, more than 300 businesses legalized the software they use.

Most of them are in HCM City, while the remaining are in 12 other cities/provinces, including Hanoi, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Hai Phong, Vinh Phuc, Hung Yen, Lam Dong, An Giang, Quang Tri, Bac Ninh, Thanh Hoa and Ba Ria – Vung Tau.

BSA praised Vietnamese authorities, including the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, for their efforts to inspect businesses using illegal parts nationwide.

However, thousands of businesses in Vietnam continue using illegal software, and CEOs in Vietnam need to address the ongoing use of illegal software, according to Tarun Sawney of BSA.

The results will not only benefit the Vietnamese business circle in particular, but society in general. Illegal software puts businesses at risk of security holes.

The finance and banking sector, technology and e-commerce in Vietnam are particularly at risk because personal customer’s data is stored in businesses’ information technology system.

Therefore, Sawney said the institution is drawing up plans to legalize software in some industries such as banking, finance, e-commerce and high-tech industries in Vietnam.

Consumer protection groups should be aware of the way illegal software jeopardizes the protection of user’s privacy. Among the risks related to unlicensed software, unauthorized access by hackers and loss of data all have direct impact on consumer safety.

BSA praised Vietnamese authorities, including the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, for their efforts to inspect businesses using illegal parts nationwide.

In 2019, the ministry conducted tens of inspection tours and found violations at Vietnamese and foreign invested corporations.

The proportion of enterprises using unlicensed software was 74 percent in Vietnam, according to a survey by BSA in 2018, higher than the 57 percent in Asia Pacific.

In January 2018, copyright infringement bevame a legal violation in Vietnam. For commercial legal entities, the penalty may be up to VND3 billion, or suspension from from operation for up to two years. 

Lan Anh

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