GCC countries lost $590m to software piracy in 2008, a 48% jump from the previous year, according to the sixth annual BSA-IDC global software piracy study. Worldwide, losses touched $53bn in 2008, an 11% rise over the previous year and the first time they exceeded the $50bn level. Illegally-copied programmes represented 41% of global software sales, three percentage points more than in 2007.