Can I Use Unlicensed Code?
Software that doesn't have an explicit license is under exclusive copyright. That means nobody else can use, copy, share, or change it, even if it's sitting in a public repo on GitHub.
Can I use code without license?
You're under no obligation to choose a license. However, without a license, the default copyright laws apply, meaning that you retain all rights to your source code and no one may reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from your work.
Licensing a repository - GitHub Docs
Can I use unlicensed software?
Unlicensed software use is illegal and can result in both civil as well as criminal penalties.
The risks of using unlicensed software - Genesis Business Systems
No. Forking an open-source software project does not change the ownership of copyrights in the source code that was formed from the original project. You might still be able to make a copy of that code, distribute it, and make derivative works, but only under the terms of the license chosen by the copyright owner.
If you fork a project in GitHub, do you become the copyright holder of the ...
What if something has no license?
Generally speaking, the absence of a license means that the default copyright laws apply. This means that you retain all rights to your source code and that nobody else may reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from your work.
Open source code with no license... can I fork it? - Software Engineering ...