Security Threat in States' Proposal
Reuters | at | by Mike
Computers around the world would be more vulnerable to attack under antitrust sanctions sought by nine states against Microsoft Corp., a top executive of the software giant told federal court on Tuesday. Microsoft group Vice President Jim Allchin said the states' proposals would open up sensitive technical information to computer hackers trying to break into corporate and government networks or unleash destructive viruses on the Internet.
"Providing such information just makes it a little easier to compromise the security mechanisms in Windows, and the stakes for our customers are too high for Microsoft to take such a risk," Allchin said in written testimony to the court. The security exception "enables Microsoft to safeguard our customers' computer installations without denying competitors information they might want to use," Allchin said. Without it, Allchin said, it would also be easier for software pirates to illegally copy and resell its software.