14 DAY TRIAL // The Federal Trade Commission has already shut down ERG Ventures LLC, the operators of a malicious media motor which installed onto victims systems apparently benign programs that downloaded spyware, adware and pornographic pop-ups. Microsoft announced that it has joined the FTC by debuting legal actions against the people involved in the distribution of the malevolent media motor. Timothy P. Taylor, an affiliate of ERG Ventures is one of Microsoft's main targets, and the Redmond Company alleges that he and others have violated the Washington Computer Spyware Act and the Washington Consumer Protection Act.
"We commend the FTC for exposing this spyware operation," said Scott Stein, senior attorney with the Internet Safety Enforcement Team at Microsoft. "Microsoft was proud to provide technical assistance to the FTC and also to take legal action against one part of the operation targeted by the FTC."
"The FTC complaint names ERG Ventures, LLC, doing business as ERG Ventures LLC2, Media Motor, Joysticksavers.com, and PrivateinPublic.com and its principals, Elliott S. Cameron, Robert A. Davidson, II, and Gary E. Hill, as well as Timothy P. Taylor d/b/a Team Taylor Made," informed the FTC.
According to the Redmond Company's allegations, the defendants have distributed innocuous programs such as screen savers software that included the malicious software. "These defendants were packaging a broad array of unwanted and intrusive programs with seemingly innocent programs," Stein added. "They didn't tell users about the numerous hidden programs that would be installed with the screen savers, and provided only an illusory option to stop installation. We have a responsibility to help protect our customers and to do whatever we can to prevent this kind of practice."