A former Microsoft Corp. employee was sentenced to four years in prisonFriday for illegally selling the company’s software, netting him US$2.3million, court documents show.Finn W. Contini, who worked for the company from September 1999 toFebruary 2002, pleaded guilty in January to one count of conspiracy tocommit mail fraud and four counts of money laundering. He was alsoordered by the U.S. District Court in Seattle to pay $7.1 million inrestitution to Microsoft.Prosecutors said Contini had access to the Microsoft Internal ProductOrdering Program, which allowed employees access to an unlimited amountof software and hardware at no cost for internal use. Continiredirected e-mails that would have alerted his supervisors to the orderto two accomplices who also worked for Microsoft, according to thecourt documents.Three other former Microsoft employees were sentenced earlier this yearfor their part in the crime. Robert A. Howdeshell, indicted on the samecharges as Contini, was sentenced to two years and three months in jailin August and ordered to pay $3.3 million restitution. Alyson Clark and Christine Hendrickson, both charged with mail fraud,received five month prison terms plus five months of home confinement.Contini received at least 2,692 pieces of software valued at $7.1million. As part of the plea agreement, Contini forfeited fourproperties, a 2003 Toyota Highlander, 2002 Honda Civic along with goldand silver coins, bar and nuggets, according to documents. By Jeremy Kirk – IDG News Service (London Bureau) Related content news Chinese state actors behind espionage attacks on Southeast Asian government The distinct groups of activities formed three different clusters, each attributed to a specific APT group. By Shweta Sharma Sep 25, 2023 4 mins Advanced Persistent Threats Advanced Persistent Threats Cyberattacks feature How to pick the best endpoint detection and response solution EDR software has emerged as one of the preeminent tools in the CISO’s arsenal. Here’s what to look for and what to avoid when choosing EDR software. By Linda Rosencrance Sep 25, 2023 10 mins Intrusion Detection Software Security Monitoring Software Data and Information Security feature Top cybersecurity M&A deals for 2023 Fears of recession, rising interest rates, mass tech layoffs, and conservative spending trends are likely to make dealmakers cautious, but an ever-increasing need to defend against bigger and faster attacks will likely keep M&A activity steady in By CSO Staff Sep 22, 2023 24 mins Mergers and Acquisitions Data and Information Security IT Leadership brandpost Unmasking ransomware threat clusters: Why it matters to defenders Similar patterns of behavior among ransomware treat groups can help security teams better understand and prepare for attacks By Joan Goodchild Sep 21, 2023 3 mins Cybercrime Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe