Piracy watchdog the Business Software Alliance (BSA) today asked British businesses to go into "software detox".

The organisation has sent out Software Audit Return forms to businesses nationwide to help them uncover illegal copies of software running on their IT systems.

The programme is designed to raise awareness of the importance of good software asset management in keeping UK businesses on the right side of the law.

Last year, more than 4500 businesses completed SARs, which the BSA (somewhat erroneously) describes as a "tax return for your software". Unlike tax returns the BSA's scheme isn't mandatory.

That aside, the BSA argues that by taking a cleansing themselves of illegal software and the associated risks - corrupt or substandard software is more susceptible to viruses, it claims - firms are on the road to maintaining a more efficient software environment.

The BSA reckons that one in three has failed to establish an adequate software compliance regime.

An online version of the SAR form, which enables businesses to review the software in use and the licences purchased, can be found here (http://www.bsaeurope.org/audit_2004).

A UK advice site, called Just Ask SAM (http://www.justasksam.co.uk), provides more detailed information on establishing a software asset management regime. ®

Related Stories

BSA piracy audit deadline looms for business (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/archive/29321.html)
Law firm urges caution over BSA piracy forms (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/archive/23020.html)
IT firms top UK software piracy roll of shame (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/51/35254.html)
SMEs slammed for unlicensed software use (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/archive/33184.html)