Illegal software warning to firms

Businesses have 30 days to ensure their software is legal

A month-long campaign targeting software piracy in Glasgow businesses is under way.

The Business Software Alliance (BSA) is offering companies a 30 day amnesty during the initiative, to ensure their software is licensed and legal.

During November, the BSA confirmed that it would not instigate any legal action against firms in the city.

The alliance has received more reports of software piracy in Glasgow than in any other UK city outside London.

Serious issue

The organisation, which represents the software industry, is writing to more than 8,000 businesses urging them to take action.

Ram Dhaliwal, UK member committee chair of BSA, said: "It's vital that businesses realise the seriousness of the issue.

"Illegal software from unapproved sources, whether unlicensed or pirated, leaves businesses vulnerable to a range of serious threats."

Bob Hanson, of Glasgow-based business Morrison Bowmore, said: "The process of reconciliation that we went through to ensure all our software was compliant was a hard but worthwhile exercise."

Penalties for copyright infringement can total tens of thousands of pounds.

The BSA said businesses were also opening themselves up to the potential loss or corruption of vital data and IT systems.