Business Editors/High-Tech Writers
CUPERTINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 22, 2003
Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq:SYMC), the world leader in Internet security, today announced that the United States District Court for the Central District of California Western Division awarded Symantec a $3 million judgment against Baltimore-based Maryland Internet Marketing for selling counterfeit Symantec software. As part of a settlement for the case, Maryland Internet Marketing CEO George Moore is personally required to pay $300,000 in damages to Symantec.
In addition, the court permanently barred Maryland Internet Marketing and Moore from producing or selling unauthorized products protected by Symantec's registered trademarks and name. The injunction also prohibits the defendants from using spammed e-mail as a means to sell Symantec products. Furthermore, Moore and Maryland Internet Marketing are required under the settlement to provide assistance to Symantec in its investigative actions against other suppliers of counterfeit Symantec software.
"In our estimation, Maryland Internet Marketing was the largest source of spammed e-mails circulating throughout the Internet in the United States selling counterfeit Symantec software," said William Plante, director of Worldwide Security and Brand Protection Task Force. "As a result of this case, the frequency of such e-mails has dropped dramatically and a sizable amount of counterfeit product has been taken out of circulation. The fact that Mr. Moore was held personally accountable speaks volumes for how serious a crime it is to sell counterfeit software."
Symantec filed suit against Maryland Internet Marketing in April of 2003 for claims of trademark infringement, copyright infringement and false advertising in response to an extensive spammed e-mail campaign selling counterfeit Symantec software at grossly reduced prices. The products involved included Norton SystemWorks, Norton AntiVirus, Norton Ghost, and pcAnywhere.
The settlement follows similar results achieved by Symantec against CD Micro in September 2003 and eCommerce in October 2003. In the case against CD Micro, the court awarded Symantec a $10 million judgment against CD Micro and its CEO Vince Webb for the sale of counterfeit Symantec software. In the case of eCommerce, damages were also awarded in favor of Symantec, along with an injunction that permanently barred eCommerce from selling unauthorized Symantec-labeled software, specifically in the form of spammed e-mail. eCommerce was offering Symantec products via spammed e-mail at grossly reduced prices under the Web site heading of PerfectCollectibles.com.
About Symantec
Symantec, the world leader in Internet security technology, provides a broad range of content and network security software and appliance solutions to individuals, enterprises and service providers. The company is a leading provider of client, gateway and server security solutions for virus protection, firewall and virtual private network, vulnerability management, intrusion detection, Internet content and e-mail filtering, remote management technologies and security services to enterprises and service providers around the world. Symantec's Norton brand of consumer security products is a leader in worldwide retail sales and industry awards. Headquartered in Cupertino, Calif., Symantec has worldwide operations in 36 countries. For more information, please visit www.symantec.com.
NOTE TO EDITORS: If you would like additional information on Symantec Corp. and its products, please view the Symantec Press Center at http://www.symantec.com/PressCenter/ on Symantec's Web site. All prices noted are in US dollars and are valid only in the United States.
Symantec and the Symantec logo are trademarks or registered trademarks, in the United States and certain other countries, of Symantec Corp. Additional company and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of the individual companies and are respectfully acknowledged.
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