SMEs 'unaware of pirated software risks'

News Article - 20 April 2007
Category: Technology

Nearly half of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are unaware that using unlicensed software could pose a number of risks to their business, a study has shown.

In response to a survey conducted by the Business Software Alliance, 93 per cent of firms said they were confident that their software was legal, despite 27 per cent of UK companies being thought to use pirated copies.

Some 41 per cent of companies said they believed that using pirated software did not present any risks, while 85 per cent were unaware that using the applications could make them susceptible to viruses.

"It's clear from the research that directors of many British businesses just don't realise the risks of using illegal software," said BSA UK member committee chairman Ram Dhaliwal.

"SMEs need to recognise that they could be susceptible to serious operational and IT risks, aside from the legal and financial consequences."

He added that firms should improve their software management processes to avoid finding themselves in unfortunate situations.

Businesses can also be threatened by USB memory sticks and other portable devices which can store information, IT specialist Rob Lucas recently told Mondaq.com.

Article keywords:

---

More industry news

• Think tank warns UK may have already slipped back into recession
• Growing demand for HR staff in technology and international sectors
• Boosting business growth a ‘priority’ to avoid Eurozone slowdown
• HMRC launches alternative disputes pilot scheme this week
• December employment statistics disregard gloomy recruitment predictions
• Eurozone manufacturing PMI shows modest improvement
• UK scores highly for economic governance by ratings agency
• Government launches two-year project focusing on manufacturing sector
• Burden of regulation on UK businesses ‘too high’

Back to news home page »