Most Turkish computers use pirate programs: Microsoft official

Nearly two-thirds of the computers in Turkey are running on pirated software, a senior Microsoft executive said March 21, adding that it put devices at greater risk of attack.      

"Sixty-two percent of computer users in Turkey are using pirated software," Cavit Yantaç, the company's deputy general manager in Turkey, told state-run Anadolu Agency.      

Warning that pirated software such as the one replicating Microsoft's Windows posed a greater security risk than legitimate programs, he said that it was very difficult to hack a system that continuously gets 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," he said.       

Yantaç noted 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.      

He noted that the internet-based cloud storage was a field the company would be expanding into in the coming months.      

"Last year we introduced 500 new features and services in this field," Yantaç 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," he added.       

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