Seattle, Oct 03: Microsoft Corp faces a proposed class-action lawsuit in California based on the claim that its market-dominant software is vulnerable to viruses capable of triggering "massive, cascading failures" in global computer networks. The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, also claims that Microsoft's security warnings are too complex to be understood by the general public and serve instead to tip off "fast-moving" hackers on how to exploit flaws in its operating system.
The lawsuit claims unfair competition and the violation of two California consumer rights laws, one of which took effect earlier this year and is intended to protect the privacy of personal information in computer databases.

Microsoft, which received and reviewed the complaint, said it would fight the attempt to certify the lawsuit as a class action.
"This complaint misses the point. The problems caused by viruses are the result of criminal acts by people who write viruses," said Microsoft spokeswoman Stacy Drake, adding that Microsoft was working with authorities to bring malicious code writers to justice.
Nevertheless, the lawsuit would reignite a simmering debate over whether the computer software industry should be held to the same standard of liability as other companies, such as automakers. The result could be to make computer software more secure -- and more expensive, computer security experts said. Bureau Report