[ISN] Microsoft to help NPA fight cyber attacks.

[InfoSec News]

http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200506280201.html

06/28/2005
The Asahi Shimbun

U.S. software giant Microsoft Corp. will increase cooperation with the
National Police Agency to give authorities an upper hand in the battle
against cybercrimes and the spread of viruses, company founder Bill
Gates said Tuesday.

Under the agreement reached in April, Microsoft will inform the NPA
about flaws and vulnerabilities in the Windows operating system before
such information is made public.

The company will also provide special engineering analyses that are
needed in investigating cybercrimes, such as computer viruses, said
Gates, who was visiting Tokyo for business purposes and a symposium.

The NPA and Microsoft also agreed to establish hot lines so that
engineers from both sides can better coordinate countermeasures while
strictly controlling information, according to Microsoft.

"We can contribute to enhancing information security and reducing
cybercrimes," a Microsoft official said.

Microsoft publicizes information on Windows glitches, but on a fixed
schedule to prevent virus creators, computer hackers and others from
exploiting such flaws for malicious purposes.

With the early warnings from Microsoft, the NPA will be able to
quickly take countermeasures against cybercrimes before the problems
are publicized.

Since technological information often contains corporate secrets,
computer companies have been reluctant to provide data to NPA
investigators, fearing that the secrets could be leaked to rival
companies.

But Microsoft said it has concluded similar agreements with police
agencies in the United States and Europe. (IHT/Asahi: June 28, 2005)