Online auctions sell £4 million of pirate software over six months

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Over $8 million (£4 million) of pirated software was sold via online auction sites over the past six months, according to the Business Software Alliance (BSA).

The BSA - a vendor-led body with members including Apple, Intel and Microsoft - said that it prevented some 36,000 illegal products from being sold during that time, adding that the retail value of such software could hit $16 million (£8 million) on such auction sites alone this year.

"And this is the tip of the iceberg," said John Wolfe, director of internet enforcement for the BSA. "This represents auctions we have identified as infringing our members' copyrights and taken action to have them closed by the auction site owners. Some auction offers may lead to dozens or even hundreds of purchases of illegal software."

Pirated software is also offered on websites and on peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing networks. On average, BSA said it sees more than 200,000 pirated software files on such networks.

Wolfe said people need to avoid buying software online when the price seems too good to be true. "Counterfeit copies may not give you the functionality and full benefits of a legal version. There is also a significant data protection risk in that counterfeit software may be linked to hackers looking to access your network," Wolfe said.

It's not just personal software on offer, either. Wolfe said the BSA has spotted business-focused software as well. "Businesses purchasing their software via these online offers should use caution to avoid being duped or unwittingly introducing viruses or Spyware onto their networks. They also face the legal and financial risks associated with violating intellectual property laws by installing unlicensed software," he said.

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