The UK economy would be boosted by an extra GBP 4.5 billion if ten per cent of illegally copied software can be prevented, research suggests.

IDC also suggested that 13,000 more jobs would be created, the report by vnunet.com stated.

In addition, Business Software Alliance (BSA) figures show that pirated software use remains at about 27 per cent.

Committee chairperson Julie Strawson told vnunet.com that illegal software was a blight to users and the economy.

Small businesses with no dedicated IT specialist could be most at risk from malicious viruses, file corruption and a lack of knowledgeable IT support.

"Because of the support and training that go hand in hand with selling software, the sector creates jobs.

"And companies have to understand the serious risks of using pirated versions ¬malware is rife, there will not be adequate technical support and there are reputational issues."

According to a recent survey by Connect, the two biggest IT headaches for businesses were 'everyday hassles with IT' (37 per cent) and 'security concerns' (32 per cent).