Unauthorized software installation creates which risk?

Unauthorized software installation creates which risk?

• A. Increased productivity.
• B. Licensing/compliance risk and potential security risk.
• C. Reduced license costs.
• D. Improved security.

Answer: (B)

Unauthorized software installation creates licensing/compliance risk and security risk. When software is installed without approval, it violates license terms and organizational policies, which can lead to audits, penalties, and difficulties in accurately tracking assets and software licenses. In a controlled environment, this undermines compliance with regulatory requirements and can incur hidden or future costs. On the security side, software that isn’t vetted by the IT team may come with malware, backdoors, or unwanted components. It’s also less likely to receive timely security patches and updates, may conflict with security controls, and can bypass standard protective measures, increasing the chances of breaches or system instability. This combination of licensing exposure and security vulnerabilities makes unauthorized installations a significant risk. Increased productivity isn’t guaranteed and is often false because such software can cause compatibility issues, crashes, or performance problems. Reduced license costs is not accurate, since any short-term savings are typically outweighed by long-term penalties and remediation costs. Improved security is the opposite of the reality, as unapproved software generally weakens defenses.

Unauthorized software installation creates licensing/compliance risk and security risk. When software is installed without approval, it violates license terms and organizational policies, which can lead to audits, penalties, and difficulties in accurately tracking assets and software licenses. In a controlled environment, this undermines compliance with regulatory requirements and can incur hidden or future costs.

On the security side, software that isn’t vetted by the IT team may come with malware, backdoors, or unwanted components. It’s also less likely to receive timely security patches and updates, may conflict with security controls, and can bypass standard protective measures, increasing the chances of breaches or system instability. This combination of licensing exposure and security vulnerabilities makes unauthorized installations a significant risk.

Increased productivity isn’t guaranteed and is often false because such software can cause compatibility issues, crashes, or performance problems. Reduced license costs is not accurate, since any short-term savings are typically outweighed by long-term penalties and remediation costs. Improved security is the opposite of the reality, as unapproved software generally weakens defenses.