BSA: $16 million in illegal software on auction sites

You wouldn't steal a handbag...

3 October 2007 8:58 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

The Business Software Alliance announces that it prevented over 36,000 illegal software products, offered on a select number of online auction sites, from being sold in the first 6 months of 2007.

The association's latest data on internet piracy also revealed that the retail value of the software being offered illegally via online auctions and identified during this period came to over $8,000,000.

"And this is the tip of the iceberg", says John Wolfe, director of internet enforcement at 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."

"When buying software on auction sites, people need to be concerned if prices appear 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 warns.

A study by IDC revealed that the chances of buying legal software that hasn't had viruses, Trojans or Spyware embedded into the code on an auction site is less than one in two.