Software piracy costs shed maker $100,000

A Victorian business accused of software piracy has settled its case with a vendor advocate body for $100,000 damages.

Telford's Building Systems paid the penalty for unlicensed use of Autodesk AutoCAD and Microsoft Office software, according to a statement from BSA The Software Alliance. The rural construction company is also required to purchase licences of AutoCAD and Office to legalise its current use.

"Some businesses think they can save money by using unlicensed software, but they fail to consider larger financial and reputational risks they are taking," said Clayton Noble, BSA Australia's committee chair.

"Businesses risk the security and integrity of their computer systems and data if they use unlicensed, non-genuine software."

BSA said it had earlier received evidence of "illegal use of Autodesk and Microsoft software" at Telford's, and, on behalf of Autodesk and Microsoft, started negotiations with the building company in February.

Noble said that: "Software asset management checks, undertaken as part of regular IT audits, will ensure that all software in use is genuine and licensed."

BSA's membership includes most of the large global vendors, including Apple, Microsoft, CA, IBM, Oracle and Symantec.

The advocacy group's continuing role is to raise awareness of "the risks to businesses when using unlicensed software" and "the damaging effects that software piracy has on the Australian IT industry".

The local arm of the anti-piracy faction started as the Business Software Association of Australia in 1989, and gained its current name in 2007. Its global headquarters is in Washington, DC.