It is quite easy for a shoemaker to protect his property: he closes his shop at the end of the day so that no one can enter. But how can a software vendor protect the code they develop and ensure that no one steals their product or uses it in an unauthorized way? It is important to note that a trade secret can last as long as you want. However, unless someone discovers your secret through what the law interprets as «fair means,» your trade secret will last forever. In the event that a person or entity independently discovers a trade secret similar to that of another person or entity, that person or entity shall have the right to continue to use it and no legal action shall be taken against it. The more the licensing model for a particular piece of software meets the customer`s needs, the better the protection of the software`s intellectual property. Customers who have an inexpensive and easy way to access the software are much more likely to use it legally and much less likely to try to find workarounds. The constant development of technology and the invention of various computer software and programs are a welcome development for the Nigerian economy because of the opportunities they create for employment and income generation. However, due to the sensitivity and vulnerability of computer software as an intellectual product, it is very susceptible to intellectual theft. In this context, it has become essential to ensure the legal protection of computer software against intellectual property theft. This type of license is also a code installed or downloaded on the device, but it can be shared by users on a network or accessible on multiple devices. This model is a great solution if your business wants to know how to protect intellectual property online.
This can be especially cost-effective if a customer needs multiple users or devices to access the software, but not all at once. [i] Business Software Alliance is a company that provides programs to improve copyright protection, cybersecurity, commerce, and e-commerce. It tracks illegal software downloads and distribution of pirated software over the internet through online auction sites. The company provides various forms of protection of software vendors` intellectual property rights, enforces software copyrights, and promotes compliance. The Cyberspace Policy Review Dashboard tracks the progress of decision-makers in various categories listed in the Government report by providing industry updates and assessments. 39. 2. Natural and legal persons may prevent information lawfully under their control from being disclosed, acquired or used by third parties without their consent, provided that such information: (a) is secret in the sense that it is not, as a whole, or in the precise configuration and composition of its constituent parts; persons belonging to the circles normally concerned by the type of information in question are generally known or easily accessible; (b) has commercial value because it is secret; and (c) in the circumstances, reasonable steps have been taken by the person lawfully in control of the information to keep it secret. Defending against the quadruple threat of intellectual property – White Paper Technology and innovation have never evolved so fast, and most of them involved software in one form or another.
Find out how Thales can help protect you against the quadruple threat of intellectual property. A trade secret refers to information that is available to one person or company and at the same time is not available to other people, companies or business organizations. The use of trade secrets in companies gives the individual or company an advantage over its competitors. You do not need to submit documents or ask an authority to register a trade secret. However, there are reasonable steps that can be taken to preserve software as a trade secret. These measures include: License management systems help protect the intellectual property of software by granting licenses to users that allow them to use the software only in an authorized manner. Each license controls the use of the software so that each use complies with the agreement. A comprehensive license management system also allows the vendor to track how licenses purchased by each customer are being used. It is hoped that the reader has gained a better understanding of the legal framework available in the country for developers to ensure the effective protection of computer software against crimes resulting in loss of credit and future income. Software patents are extremely valuable to suppliers because they can protect aspects of their product that other intellectual property laws cannot. However, patents can be difficult to obtain and the filing process can be considerably lengthy.
In addition, different countries have different approaches to software patentability. A copyright is defined as a right granted to the author or author of certain literary or artistic productions, whereby the creator is granted the sole and exclusive right to reproduce and publish or sell copies of literary or artistic works for a limited period of time. This is protection that is generally granted to original artistic works, software, literary, musical, cinematographic films, sound recordings, radio broadcasts and publications. It creates an opportunity for the owner of a creative work or innovation to have the exclusive right to produce, publish, translate, disseminate or adapt these works. The software industry is a profitable economic sector in many developed countries around the world, as the sector rakes in billions of dollars. As information technology (IT) continues to develop in Nigeria, the rate of computer software piracy has continued to rise. This has resulted in a loss of income and resources for IT professionals and the Nigerian economy as a whole.