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Microsoft Offers $250,000 Reward for Information Leading to Conviction of MyDoom.B Perpetrators

Reward Is Third From Microsoft Reward Fund to Support Worldwide Law
Enforcement Efforts Against Malicious Code Distributors

REDMOND, Wash., Jan. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Microsoft Corp.
(Nasdaq: MSFT) today announced that it will pay a $250,000 (U.S.) reward for
information resulting in the arrest and conviction of those responsible for
unleashing the MyDoom.B worm. MyDoom.B, detected yesterday, is a variant of
the earlier released MyDoom.A worm, also known as the Novarg worm, which has
spread quickly infecting computers around the world. The release of this B
variant triggered the first alert from the newly formed Department of Homeland
Security’s cyber alert system yesterday.

Characteristics of MyDoom.B
Characteristics of the B variant of MyDoom include these:

— Infects the computers of unsuspecting consumers and automatically sends
infecting e-mail to their e-mail contacts
— Blocks access to anti-virus vendor Web sites and http://www.microsoft.com
— Leaves a "backdoor" into infected computers, allowing any hacker to
modify the existing worm without the user’s knowledge
— Is designed to launch an attack against http://www.microsoft.com next month

"This worm is a criminal attack," said Brad Smith, senior vice president
and general counsel at Microsoft. "Its intent is to disrupt computer users,
but also to keep them from getting to anti-virus locations and other sites
that could help them. Microsoft wants to help the authorities catch this
criminal."

Residents of any country are eligible for the reward, according to the
laws of that country, because Internet viruses affect the Internet community
worldwide.

Partnership Program With Law Enforcement

Representatives of three law enforcement agencies, the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI), the U. S. Secret Service and Interpol, joined Microsoft
to unveil the company’s $5 million reward program in November. All three
agencies have engaged Microsoft in their investigations of this most recent
worm.
Individuals with information about the MyDoom worm or any other worms or
viruses should contact the following international law enforcement agencies:

— International/Interpol via the Interpol National Central Bureau in any
of Interpol’s 181 member countries or at http://www.interpol.int/
— FBI or Secret Service via any local field office
— The Internet Fraud Complaint Center at http://www.ifccfbi.gov/

Microsoft has made security a top priority and is committed to developing
the most secure software possible and making it easier for customers to help
protect themselves against attacks launched by malicious law breakers. The
company has taken numerous steps to alert users to steps they can take to help
protect themselves, including the "Protect Your PC" campaign. This information
is available at http://www.microsoft.com/protect/ . While working hard to
improve the security of its software, Microsoft also cooperates with
international, federal and state law enforcement to help bring the
perpetrators of these attacks to justice.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services
and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company
offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people
through great software — any time, any place and on any device.

NOTE: Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corp. in the
United States and/or other countries.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the
trademarks of their respective owners.

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