Forget Security Essentials – Microsoft attacks malware pimps with lawsuits

Filed under: Security, News, Microsoft

We all know Microsoft is working on the successor to OneCare — Security Essentials is currently in beta testing and should be ready for public consumption any time now. It’s a decent protection package, and should help protect users from things like nefarious fake antivirus apps and other “scareware.”

But Microsoft has decided to go one better. After all, simply removing infections or blocking them isn’t all that detrimental to the bottom feeders who are pushing the malicious apps. They’ve now launched a second wave of attacks using one of the deadliest weapons in the Redmond arsenal: lawyers.

Reuters reports that Microsoft has filed suit against several “malvertisers,” low-lifes responsible for things like the recent pop-up scare on the New York Times website. The case targets several cheesily-named businesses including “Soft Solutions,” “Direct Ad,” “qiweroqw.com,” “ITmeter Inc” and “ote2008.info.”

Microsoft hopes to uncover the actual identities of those responsible. Regardless of your feelings for Microsoft, I think we can all agree that it would be nice for this lawsuit to hit the bad guys where it hurts – in their ill-gotten bank account balances.

Forget Security Essentials – Microsoft attacks malware pimps with lawsuits originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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