BSA stings firm for unlicensed software use

Hackney-based design firm found to be using unlicensed Adobe, Autodesk and Microsoft software

The BSA has fined a design consultancy firm £3,000, following a tip-off from a whistle-blower that the company was using unlicensed software.

The anti-piracy body required Hackney-based Kyson Design to run a software audit, which revealed the use of unlicensed Adobe, Autodesk and Microsoft software.

A spokesperson for the BSA said that although £3,000 seems a small amount, the economic downturn means that smaller companies such as Kyson Design find it harder to absorb the hit, and warned other firms against the use of unlicensed software.

BSA research showed that in 2011, one in four software installations was unlicensed, which carried a commercial value of £1.2bn. The BSA's UK chairwoman Michala Wardell claimed this can have a big impact on businesses.

"Companies need to recognise that the infringement of intellectual property rights carries serious consequences. While many businesses may not mean to infringe copyright law, they do need to take responsibility for any negligence on their part.

"Rather than cutting corners to save money, now is the time to be even more diligent as every penny counts," she said.

Julian Swan, the BSA's director of compliance marketing in EMEA, added that the use of unlicensed software can throw up additional security risks.

"Unlicensed software is not always fully protected from malware and can lead to downtime, which would not reflect positively upon a company's professionalism and ability to respond to client demands," he said.

"A company's reputation could also be called into question once word got out that they had been using software they have not paid for."