This article examines the current state of legal protection for software developers as afforded under existing copyright and patent law. The article further evaluates the potential application of the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) section of the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970 to cases of infringement. The authors assert that this statute may open the door to dramatic civil and criminal penalties in many infringement cases, including those in which infringement is found to occur in otherwise legitimate businesses. Guidelines are provided to help individuals, firms, and network users ensure that they comply with legal requirements, thereby reducing their exposure to civil and criminal penalties.