Software purchased at online auctions may be illegal, according to a warning issued yesterday by an international alliance of commercial software and computer hardware partners.
The Business Software Alliance (BSA) said consumers remained at risk in spite of continuing efforts by software providers and auction sites to confront the problem.
It issued the warning when releasing its "10 Tips for a Safe Online Shopping Experience this Christmas".
Julian McMenamin, chair of the BSA in Ireland, said: "Anyone buying this software has no idea what they are really purchasing. At best it could be a blank or unusable CD, at worst it could have viruses or spyware embedded in the programme."
Aside from the legal implications, purchasers of pirated software may expose their networks to viruses and security breaches according to the BSA. Such software is also ineligible for upgrades and technical support.
BSA based its warning on research released by Massachusetts-based technology adviser IDC in October revealing that less than half (49 per cent) of the software on sale at a well-known auction site was genuine, with 39 per cent counterfeit and another 12 per cent with either counterfeit components or altered genuine software.
"The vast majority of consumers purchasing online have a variety of information on how to do it and who to deal with," said Dermott Jewell, chief executive of the Consumers' Association of Ireland.
"This has not come across as a significant issue for consumers, not as yet."
As software pirates became more savvy, that could change, Mr Jewell said.
The BSA's "cyber safety" website is at www.bsacybersafety.com