It's an issue which IT managers are fully aware of, but despite the risk of going to prison, take little action over. Software piracy is intentionally or unintentionally a major part of a lot of UK organisations.

IS managers are fully aware of their legal standpoint but, according to a survey commissioned by Vector Networks, 20 per cent of IT managers do not have formal auditing policies and of those who did, only 44 per cent audited PCs once a year.

Colin Bartram, product marketing director at Vector Networks said: "Software management tools such as LANutil32 allow people to substitute or at the very least augment these labour intensive, non-intrusive fast and reliable auditing."

In spite of these tools, Geoffrey Webster, chief executive of the Federation Against Software Theft (FAST) says "software piracy is still a real issue. Therefore, in the year 2000 FAST is renewing its pledge to work with companies on getting themselves legal." ®