Anti-virus and computer security software-maker Symantec Corporation has announced it is suing eight companies, for a total of $55 million USD. Symantec alleges in filings in U.S. District Court in California that the businesses are guilty of trademark infringement, copyright infringement, fraud, unfair competition, trafficking in counterfeit labels and documentation, as well as false advertising. The software company is seeking between $4 million US and $10 million in damages in individual claims from the following companies: Acortech (California), mPlus (California), Logical Plus (New York), SoftwareOutlets.com (Florida), Rowcal Distribution (California), Global Impact, Inc. (Florida), Directron.com (Texas) and eDirect Software (Canada). Symantec is also seeking a permanent injunction in each of the lawsuits to block the companies named from selling "unauthorized Symantec products" and to surrender all alleged counterfeits of Symantec goods.
The company is seeking a jury trial in each of the cases. "The threat posed by ... software pirates to users and the safety of their personal and financial online information cannot be overstated. Counterfeit software might not work properly and damage a user's machine, or it can be loaded with identity-theft programs. Counterfeit software also may not be able to receive automatic updates and, as a result, leave the user vulnerable to new online threats," Scott Minden, director of Symantec's legal affairs, said in a statement.
News source: CBC News
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