Civic Group Considers Pressing Charges Against Microsoft for Internet Crash

A leading civic group is gearing to take legal action against Microsoft, the creator of the computer software blamed for the disastrous Internet crash last month.

People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD) said it is considering filing a class action suit against the software giant for the ``Slammer'' worm which paralyzed the country°ÃËœs Internet servers on Jan. 25 by unleashing huge volumes of Internet traffic.

The worm was traced to a widely known flaw in Microsoft's SQL software, a Web server application.

The group said it plans to build its case on a ``product liability law°ÃËœ°ÃËœ passed last July that holds a manufacturer responsible for physical and property damage caused by flaws in its product.

More than 3,000 subscribers of high-speed Internet services had signed up to take part in the class action suit as of Thursday, the civic group said.

A legal advisory team will meet within this week to discuss the details of the proposed suit, it added.

``Although Microsoft says it issued warnings about the worm through e-mails and other public notices, we do not believe the company performed its duty to the fullest, considering it had a list of all SQL Server users,°ÃËœ°ÃËœ a PSPD official said.

``The suit will provide an opportunity to review the country°ÃËœs information and telecommunication policies,°ÃËœ°ÃËœ the official said, adding that some legal experts are also gearing to lodge similar suits against Microsoft regarding the Internet shutdown.

jysoh@koreatimes.co.kr

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200302/kt20..." target="times">Korea Times
- 
-