Final answer:
Hiades Ltd should consider trademark registration, patent filing, trade secret protection, and copyright licensing to protect their software's intellectual property internationally. They must navigate these IP strategies in light of WIPO guidelines and international treaties due to the lack of uniform global IP laws.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hiades Ltd, facing unauthorized use of their software in the USA, should explore several strategies for legal intellectual property (IP) protection. Firstly, trademark registration could protect brand identifiers, such as logos associated with the software, ensuring exclusive use within the software industry. Secondly, patent filing may safeguard the underlying invention or unique process of the software, although this is often more complex for software compared to physical inventions.
Thirdly, adopting trade secret protection by maintaining confidentiality could protect Hiades Ltd's proprietary information without expiration; however, it offers no defense against reverse engineering. Lastly, copyright licensing provides recourse if someone reproduces the software without permission and is particularly suited to safeguarding creative works embedded in the software. It's imperative to note that international IP law is not uniform, necessitating an evaluation of IP strategies in the context of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) guidelines and international treaties.