IT firms pirated more software than others

THE BUSINESS Software Alliance (BSA) said that during 2005 the number of firms paying to settle illegal software claims rose by 25 per cent.

And in 2005 the BSA opened 420 investigations into UK businesses which were reported to have used software illegally, a rise of 24 per cent compared to the previous year.

The biggest payment last year was £31,000, while there were eight other settlements over £20,000, said the BSA. The biggest culprits, it claimed, were from the IT sector at 15%, while sales and distribution amounted to eight per cent.

Accountants were the least likely to have pirated software.

The BSA did not name names. µ