For Immediate Release
November 05, 2003

Washington D.C.
FBI National Press Office

MICROSOFT PRESS CONFERENCE 11/05/2003
STATEMENT OF SC KEITH LOURDEAU

GOOD MORNING. FOR ALMOST A CENTURY, THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE FBI HAVE DEDICATED THEMSELVES TO PROTECTING THE PUBLIC BY BRINGING CRIMINALS TO JUSTICE. IN KEEPING WITH THIS MISSION, THE FBI HAS EVOLVED AND CHANGED TO MEET THE CHALLENGES PRESENTED BY EMERGING TECHNOLOGY. THE FBI'S CYBER DIVISION STANDS IN THE FOREFRONT OF ADDRESSING THESE CHALLENGES AS THEY PERTAIN THE USE OF COMPUTERS FOR CRIMINAL PURPOSES.

THE FBI IS GRATEFUL TO MICROSOFT FOR THE SERIOUS ATTENTION AND PRIORITY GIVEN TO FINDING THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR INTRODUCING THE MALICIOUS CODES WHICH HAVE SEVERELY IMPACTED A LARGE NUMBER OF COMPUTER USERS WORLD-WIDE.
TODAY THERE ARE MORE THAN 70,000 KNOWN VIRUSES, WORMS OR TROJANS, ALONG WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE VARIANTS, PROPAGATING IN CYBERSPACE. THAT COUNT INCREASES BY APPROXIMATELY 200 TO 250 EACH MONTH.

THE FBI RECOGNIZES THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THESE PROBLEMS AND CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN RESOURCES TO MEET THE CHALLENGE. TODAY, IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SECRET SERVICE, ALONG WITH OTHER STATE AND FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, THE FBI CONDUCTS CYBER CRIME INVESTIGATIONS IN OVER 50 TASK-FORCE SETTINGS NATIONWIDE.

TO DATE, SUBJECTS HAVE BEEN CHARGED AND ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE RELEASE OF THREE OF THE SIX BLASTER VARIANTS. WHILE THIS IS A SIGN OF PROGRESS, THE FBI WILL CONTINUE IN ITS PURSUIT OF THE ORIGINAL AUTHORS OF THESE WORMS.

AS ALWAYS, THE FBI WELCOMES THE PUBLIC'S ASSISTANCE IN HELPING TO SUCCESSFULLY RESOLVE THESE CASES. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION IS ENCOURAGED TO CALL THEIR LOCAL FBI OR SECRET SERVICE OFFICE, OR TO REPORT THE INFORMATION ONLINE TO THE INTERNET FRAUD COMPLAINT CENTER AT WWW.IFCCFBI.GOV.

THANK YOU.

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