If the rumors are true, Microsoft is stepping up considerably to join the fight against cyber crime. Allegedly, Microsoft is developing a real-time feed that documents current cyber threats and provides necessary steps to protect against them.

Microsoft currently has a process in place to take down harmful botnets. Microsoft “swallows” the botnets and permits them to infect accounts that are highly controlled by Microsoft’s team. Once the botnets infect the accounts, Microsoft learns the way they work and eliminates them as a threat.

This collected information is now shared with ISPs, private and government organizations, & CERTs. While real-time data may not decrease the quantity of attacks by malicious code, the impact of sharing this data will in all probability be quite extraordinary. IT security companies will be able to respond more speedily to these threats and therefore be able to lessen the amount of damage they can cause.

Microsoft’s live threat feed may have a far more important impact: It could lead the information security industry to share more data. For too long, companies have hesitated to share important security information that they fear could lead to a copycat attack. This is a misguided belief as cyber criminals are already exchanging information amongst themselves. It seems sensible, therefore, for security professionals to also share real-time information.

Let’s hope that security professionals soon understand that sharing information is more important than secrecy. And let’s hope that Microsoft’s move is a first step in this change of attitude.