Microsoft New Zealand Responds to Security Issue

For Immediate Release

Microsoft Responds to Security Issue

Auckland, New Zealand - Wednesday, January 24, 2000 -- In a statement issued today, Microsoft New Zealand says the Microsoft Security Response Centre learnt early this morning that www.microsoft.co.nz had been defaced, and immediately began investigating this report.

Microsoft New Zealand's Technical Manager, Richard Burte says the company is committed to keeping customers' information secure, and takes all reports sent to secure@microsoft.com very seriously.

"This breach exploits an already known security issue for which a patch exists. There was no customer data or Microsoft-sensitive data on the site," says Burte. "So far our investigations have indicated that the

New Zealand Direct Access Web Site (www.microsoft.co.nz/directaccess ) is the only Microsoft web site affected. This site is the only one hosted at www.microsoft.co.nz . All our other sites are hosted off www.microsoft.com."

The Direct Access web site www.microsoft.co.nz/directaccess is currently operated by a third party vendor located in New Zealand and is not part of the Microsoft corporate network.

"The Direct Access web site cannot be used to gain access to the Microsoft corporate network or the main Microsoft web sites www.microsoft.com or www.microsoft.com/nz . We are currently working with our third party vendor to determine how the site was defaced and to restore the site to normal operation," says Burte.

About Microsoft Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") 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.

######### 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.

AUGUST.ONE COMMUNICATIONS, Microsoft Press Office 09 357 5844, lee.ahchong@augustone.co.nz Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft New Zealand Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/nz/ on Microsoft's corporate information pages.

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