Is your business valuation software up to date?

Do you use software tools for business value analysis? If so, be sure your software vendor keeps it up to date.  You may find that some software fails to meet the ever increasing demands in computer security, application performance, stability and offer new features.

Computer system vendors keep up the pace of change

Major operating system vendors, such as Apple and Microsoft, are expanding the set of requirements modern software products must meet. Importantly, such products must provide secure and reliable experience for the users. For example, Mac OS X systems now require that software applications be signed by the Apple Developer ID digital signature.

Apple allows software from authorized developers only

Apple issues this signature tokens to the software companies who participate in its Apple Developer program. But admission to this program is not free.  In particular, Apple goes to considerable lengths to ensure that only legitimate companies get accepted. You as a Mac user can rest assured that your software comes from a software firm that has been thoroughly checked out by Apple.

Windows software must be digitally secured and white-listed by Microsoft

Windows programs must also be signed by a digital signature. Then the Microsoft Authenticode technology on your PC verifies it before installation can proceed. Again, you benefit as a user because only the bona fide companies can use the signatures. This is very important in order to prevent your computer from being compromised by malicious malware.

Don’t ignore the warnings issued by your Mac or Windows computer when installing a software application. If your vendor does not want to clearly identify itself, and participate in the Apple or Microsoft software developer programs, you should think twice before entrusting them with your or your client’s business critical data. Not to mention the risk of having your computer system being put out of commission by unwanted malware.

Software technology keeps changing

Software technology evolves very quickly. So you should expect your software provider to keep up by issuing regular updates. And don’t assume the web-based software vendors do it. Check to find out exactly what types of updates have been made available to you for all those subscription dollars. You might find to your amazement that the vendor keeps charging you while offering little or nothing in improvements or enhancements in return.

Web apps are vulnerable to malware attacks

Web based software is especially prone to hacker attacks. The cloud software vendors also tend to oversubscribe their systems with too many customers supported by too few computing resources. As a result, you might find that you can’t get to your business valuation project at the time you need it.

Does your Web software vendor offer data security guarantees?

Whenever you hand your business critical data to a software vendor, ask what guarantees they give you that the data will not be lost or sold to your competitors for an additional profit to the software company. You might be shocked to find that the ‘Terms of Use’ exclude any liability on the part of your software vendor for such data loss!

Payment card industry security standards are a must

New technology updates, especially those required to comply with government or industry-wide regulations, are not easy or cheap. For example, there were literally dozens of e-commerce software companies in the early 2000’s. Now that the banking industry requires its e-commerce merchants to comply with the PCI DSS standard (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard), only a handful of legitimate software companies continue to offer e-commerce solutions. The rest could not or would not invest to keep going.

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