UK firms ignorant of software licensing

The majority of businesses are still unable to prove that they have the right to use software within their own organisations, according to research by asset management specialists Centennial Software.

88 per cent of those questioned understood the components of licence compliance, but only eight per cent can prove they are using the correct licences if asked.

The findings come a month after the British Software Alliance (BSA) claimed to be receiving an average of one call every day from individuals reporting their employers for failing to have the correct software licences, a rise of 23 per cent from last year.

Matt Fisher, vice president, Centennial said: "Software piracy is rarely committed knowingly in UK firms. It is more often a case of employers simply not being able to see clearly what software is in use on the network."

The majority of piracy cases reported to the BSA came from employees who felt mistreated or faced redundancy; they saw software compliance as a company weakness and an easy way to get back at their employers.