Running other software on idle computer without the knowledge of the organisation is called theft of ___________

Computer misuse can take several forms, including software piracy (copying software illegally), computer theft (stealing the physical machine), and unauthorised use of resources. The scenario described, someone running programs on a computer that is idle, without the organisation's knowledge, does not involve copying software or taking the machine itself.

What is actually being taken is the processing capacity of the machine while it sits unused, that is, its available operating time. This is classed as theft of computer time, since the organisation's computing resource is being consumed for unauthorised purposes without permission or payment, even though no physical item or software copy changes hands.

Exam takeaway: distinguish what is actually being stolen in each scenario; using idle processing capacity without permission is theft of computer time, separate from theft of the software itself or the physical device.