Most Turkish computers 'using pirate programs'

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - Nearly two-thirds of the computers in Turkey are running pirated software, a senior Microsoft executive said Tuesday, putting devices at greater risk of attack.

“Sixty-two percent of computer users in Turkey are using pirated software,” Cavit Yantac, the company’s deputy general manager in Turkey, told Anadolu Agency.

Warning that pirated software such as Microsoft’s Windows posed a greater security risk than legitimate programs, he added: “It is very difficult to hack a system which is continuously updated.

“However, it is much easier to hack or damage a system by a virus or attack that has not been updated for three years.”

Yantac pointed out that using pirated software amounted to the theft of years of research and development. “It’s not only Microsoft that is affected but also other companies producing software in Turkey,” he said.

The Microsoft executive highlighted internet-based cloud storage as a field the company would be expanding into in the coming months.

“Last year we introduced 500 new features and services in this field,” Yantac said. “So we can think that this will go with the same pace in 2017 too. We will continue to see new services on our smart cloud services.”

Cloud storage allows users to store data online, saving capacity on devices.