[Am-info] More on "Passport Brings Microsoft New Headaches"

[Fred A. Miller]

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Passport Brings Microsoft New Headaches

The Federal Trade Commission has settled a case against Microsoft=20
involving its Passport Web service. The FTC says Microsoft's=20
claim that purchases made through Passport were more secure than=20
typical E-commerce transactions was bunk. It also says Microsoft=20
did not employ "reasonable and appropriate measures" to protect
consumers' personal data. Commissioners also charged that=20
Microsoft did not fully disclose the extent of personal data it=20
collected on Passport users.

Under the settlement, Microsoft must beef up its Passport=20
security and have it inspected by an independent professional=20
every two years.

In a statement, Microsoft said it knows of "no instance where a=20
Passport user's information has ever been compromised." Microsoft=20
has conceded that security measures in Passport in 1999 are=20
outdated by today's standards. However, the company's legal woes=20
over Passport may not end with Thursday's settlement.
European privacy regulators are also looking at the software to=20
be sure it meets their own privacy standards. They have not as=20
yet launched a formal probe. - Paul McDougall

Learn more about Microsoft. Read:
Microsoft's New Licensing Program Worries Users
http://update.informationweek.com/cgi-bin4/flo?y=3DeIP40Bce7K0V20Bf2o0AD

Microsoft's Earnings Up For Quarter, Year
http://update.informationweek.com/cgi-bin4/flo?y=3DeIP40Bce7K0V20BfgO0AY

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Fred A. Miller
Systems Administrator
Cornell Univ. Press Services
fm@cupserv.org, www.cupserv.org
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