OpSec Security Supports Microsoft to Apprehend Large-Scale Counterfeiting Ring

Munich, 2 September 2010--OpSec Security, the global leader in anti-counterfeiting and brand protection, has partnered with Microsoft for the past several years to combat software piracy on the Internet. The exposure of a major international counterfeiting ring in a recent case highlights OpSec and Microsoft’s successful collaboration. The group had been selling pirated copies of Microsoft's Windows XP operating system for several years. Using the Internet as the main sales channel, the counterfeiting ring scammed over 40,000 customers.

The investigation into the software piracy ring began more than eighteen months ago after a high number of fake copies of Windows XP recovery discs were sent in by customers to Microsoft's product identification (PID) service. As a result, OpSec performed numerous test purchases on Microsoft's behalf. This enabled OpSec to gather valuable background information on a number of sellers from all over Germany. The seller information obtained by OpSec, along with Microsoft’s own inquiries, provided sufficient evidence for Microsoft to take legal action.  In raids conducted on 14 properties in Germany and abroad, police officers from the Görlitz criminal investigation department, as well as the Berlin, Saxony, and Brandenburg State Offices of Criminal Investigation, seized several thousand pirated copies of Microsoft software, in addition to further evidence of wrongdoing. Several suspects were also taken into custody. According to investigations by Görlitz CID, the perpetrators had been using fronts and fake identities for years to repeatedly offer counterfeit copies of Microsoft's Windows XP operating system for sale on Internet platforms. It is estimated that they have caused Microsoft damage amounting to five million Euros.

"Cases like this demonstrate the importance of cooperation with investigating authorities and brand protection experts," says Joachim Rosenoegger, Anti-Piracy Investigator at Microsoft Germany. "The employees of OpSec, using their know-how and extensive experience in online brand protection, have successfully assisted us in the detection of pirate copies on the Internet."

About OpSec Security:

OpSec Security GmbH (formerly P4M GmbH - Die InternetAgenten), based in Munich, Germany is part of OpSec Security, Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of OpSec Security Group plc (London AIM: OSG). OpSec is the global leader in providing anti-counterfeiting technologies as well as solutions and services for offline and online brand protection to over 300 companies in various industries and over 50 governments worldwide. The OpSec Group operates manufacturing and research facilities in the USA, Great Britain and has sales operations in the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit http://www.opsecsecurity.de/

Microsoft Deutschland GmbH

Microsoft Deutschland GmbH is a subsidiary, founded in 1983, of the Microsoft Corporation/Redmond, USA, the world leader in the production of standard software, services and solutions with annual revenues of US$ 62.48 billion (financial year 2010; 30 June 2010). Operating profit in the financial year 2010 was US$ 24.1 billion. In addition to their corporate headquarters in Unterschleissheim near Munich, Microsoft Deutschland GmbH, operates six regional offices across Germany and employs around 2700 staff. Together with some 31,500 partner companies, Microsoft Deutschland GmbH serves businesses of all sizes across all industries. The European Microsoft Innovation Center (EMIC) in Aachen has a research focus in IT security, data protection, mobility, mobile applications and web services.