Washington, Apr 08: Microsoft has announced its aim to boost the fight against computer piracy, by reinforcing computer security systems. A new firewall which among other things will stops spammers, will be proposed to users during 2004, Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer said at the Center for Strategic International Studies yesterday.

The move is a "big challenge," Ballmer said. "We have a responsibility to secure the Internet.” "Our response must also adapt to changes," to make computers "more resilient to attacks.

"We have to collaborate in new ways to prosecute hackers in collaboration with national cybersecurity division, with the FBI."

He estimated complaints in the United States against companies responsible for spamming fell by 75 per cent in 2003 compared with the previous year. Powerful computer viruses, such as Netsky, Mydoom, Sobig, Slammer and Blaster, have infected tens of thousands of computers worldwide in the last few years.

"We collaborate with governments, FBI and national cybersecurity divisions" to secure computers and inform users, said Ballmer, noting that 600 million computers are linked worldwide.

According to statistics and security experts, between 62 and 78 per cent of messages on the internet are from spammers.

Bureau Report