A common question asked of our BSA audit lawyers is whether uninstalling the software mentioned in the BSA audit notice will remediate the problem. Uninstalling the software can do much more harm than good.
Confusion can come from the BSA lawyers who ask in the BSA audit letter, “please do not destroy or replace any copies of the computer software” But that is not asking to retain all copies of the software on the computers. Of course the letter will also likely state something to the effect that, “deleting software at this point will not remedy past unauthorized installation,” which is accurate and should be avoided.
There are instances where business needs to make changes to computers internally for a variety of reasons including mitigating security issues with software. However, making changes to computer software before concluding a BSA audit can harm the chances of resolving the matter. Consequently, it can be helpful to seek the advice and representation of BSA audit attorneys familiar with software licensing and the BSA audit process.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.