14 DAY TRIAL // In an effort to increase cooperation on cybercrime between the private sector and international law enforcement agencies, Microsoft has entered into partnerships with three organizations: Europol, FIS and the Organization of American States (OAS).
The organizations have agreed to work with Microsoft to crack down on cybercriminal organizations. Their main goal is to enhance forensic and technical analysis capabilities, investigate emerging threats, take enforcement actions against cybercriminals, and dismantle their enterprises.
“Cybercriminals are increasingly sophisticated in preying on consumers, including children and senior citizens,” noted Brad Smith, Microsoft executive vice president and general counsel.
“These agreements will help the private and public sectors fight cybercrime more effectively, while protecting our customers’ privacy.”
The OAS, which includes all 34 independent states, says that it’s committed to contribute to developing a cyber security culture.
“There are no borders when it comes to cybercrime, and the criminals are located worldwide, making it impossible for any one organization to fight cybercrime alone,” said OAS Ambassador Adam Blackwell. “We must harness the power of partnerships to have a greater impact against these criminals and keep the Internet safer for everyone.”
Europol’s Assistant Director Troels Oerting provides the recent disruption of the ZeroAccess botnet as a positive example for the cooperation between the private sector and international law enforcement.
“This kind of collaboration is the new model needed to attack cybercrime, and that is why we’re committed to working with Microsoft so we can take more aggressive action in the future,” Oerting said.
As far as FIS is concerned, the organization is one of the world’s largest providers of financial technology, so it’s unsurprising that it wants to ensure the cyber security of payments and financial transactions.
“This partnership with Microsoft will help FIS to better protect its clients from cybercrime and make global financial transactions safer for our clients and their customers,” stated Greg Montana, EVP and chief risk officer at FIS.
“We’re pleased to partner with companies like Microsoft, which are taking aggressive action to address cybercrime at every opportunity. We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with Microsoft.”