It formed a Security Business Unit in March last year, in addition to its Trustworthy Computing initiative.

ECONOMIST: Target: Microsoft | The

Indeed, both Tom Davis, head of government affairs for consulting firm Deloitte, and Scott Charney, head of Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing division were offered the position and turned it down.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Its executives and internal security experts such as Michael Howard and Adam Shostack talk openly about the specifics of the Trustworthy Computing effort, its limitations and even its failures.

FORBES: Is Apple Getting Serious About Security?

"We're currently unaware of any attacks trying to use the claimed vulnerability or of customer impact, " said Dave Forstrom, the director of Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing group, in a statement.

BBC: Microsoft warns on IE browser bug

The problem is so pressing that Bill Gates pulled Microsoft's 7, 000 systems programmers off their jobs for all of February for a Trustworthy Computing initiative aimed at making more secure operating systems.

FORBES: Scare Tactics

The problem is so pressing that Bill Gates pulled Microsoft's 7, 000 systems programmers off their jobs for all of February for a "Trustworthy Computing" initiative aimed at making more secure operating systems ( see story, p. 90).

FORBES: Scare Tactics