The auditor's best course of action after discovering instances where employees shared license keys to critical pieces of business software is to verify whether the licensing agreement allows shared use. A licensing agreement is a contract between the software provider and the user that defines the terms and conditions of using the software, including the number, type, and scope of licenses granted. Some licensing agreements may allow shared use of license keys among multiple users or devices, while others may prohibit or restrict such use. By verifying the licensing agreement, the auditor candetermine whether the employees violated the contract or not, and whether there are any legal or financial risks or implications for the organization.
The other options are not as appropriate as option D, as they may not address the root cause of the issue or provide a comprehensive solution. Recommending the utilization of software licensing monitoring tools may help prevent or detect future instances of license key sharing, but it does not resolve the current situation or ensure compliance with the licensing agreement. Recommending the purchase of additional software license keys may be unnecessary or wasteful if the licensing agreement already allows shared use or if there are unused licenses available. Validating user need for shared software licenses may help identify the reasons or motivations behind license key sharing, but it does not justify or excuse such behavior if it violates the licensing agreement.
References:
* 9: Best License Management Software 2023 | Capterra
* 10: Best 10 Software License Management Tools in 2023 | Zluri
* 11: Top 10 Software License Tracking Tools | Zluri
* 12: Top 5 Software License Tracking Solutions in 2023 - DNSstuff