Trend Micro Joins the Internet Watch Foundation

CUPERTINO, Calif., Dec. 15, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its commitment to the online safety of kids and families, Trend Micro, through its Internet Safety for Kids & Families initiative, is once again reinforcing its stand against online child sexual abuse by joining the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), the UK self-regulatory organization for combating criminal online content, primarily child sexual abuse images hosted anywhere in the world.

The new membership builds upon Trend Micro Internet Safety for Kids & Families' existing work with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) in the U.S. Trend Micro was the first Internet security company to join NCMEC's URL project, designed to reduce child pornography from the Internet.

Trend Micro owns one of the world's largest domain-reputation databases and is a pioneer in "reputation technologies" for blocking Web threats and spam in the Internet cloud.  By working with the Internet Watch Foundation, Trend Micro will expand its ability to block access to URLs containing images and advertisements promoting online sexual abuse involving children.  Customers of Trend Micro products which include its Web reputation technology will be prevented from accessing such sites as well as scam sites that may contain malicious software or whose security has been compromised.

"We are pleased to welcome Trend Micro as one of our Members," said Peter Robbins OBE(1), QPM(2), Chief Executive, IWF. "In partnership with Trend Micro, an internationally renowned company, we can make a difference in our joint quest to ensure that the images of sexual crimes committed against child victims are diminished whilst protecting the public from inadvertently seeing online child sexual abuse images."

"By joining the IWF, we are able to strengthen and augment our current URL database of images that contain child abuse, enabling us to take an even more active role in stopping the access of images that exploit children," said Lynette Owens, director of the Trend Micro Internet Safety for Kids & Families program.  "Our goal is to prevent those children from continued exploitation. We're honored to be a member of the IWF, and we will continue to seek out and promote similar partnerships that help further the Internet safety of kids & families."

About the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF)

The IWF was established in 1996 by the internet industry to provide the UK internet Hotline for the public and IT professionals to report criminal online content in a secure and confidential way. The Hotline service can be used anonymously to report content within our remit. We work in partnership with the online industry, law enforcement, government, and international partners to minimise the availability of this content, specifically:

• child sexual abuse images hosted anywhere in the world
• criminally obscene adult content hosted in the UK
• incitement to racial hatred content hosted in the UK
• non-photographic child sexual abuse images hosted in the UK.

Trend Micro's Commitment to the Internet Safety of Kids and Families

To support its vision of making the world safe for exchanging digital information, Trend Micro aspires to make a difference by using its expertise to make the world at large a better place.  Trend Micro has made a commitment to make the Internet a safer place for young people around the world through its world-wide employee volunteer program, grants and donations to eligible organizations, and partnerships with those who share its vision and mission.  For Trend Micro's free Internet safety tips, tools and advice, visit: TrendMicro.com/InternetSafety

About Trend Micro:

Trend Micro Incorporated, a global leader in Internet content security, focuses on securing the exchange of digital information for businesses and consumers. A pioneer and industry vanguard, Trend Micro is advancing integrated threat management technology to protect operational continuity, personal information, and property from malware, spam, data leaks and the newest Web threats. Please visit TrendWatch   to learn more about the latest threats. Trend Micro's flexible solutions, available in multiple form factors, are supported 24/7 by threat intelligence experts around the globe. Many of these solutions are powered by the Trend Micro™ Smart Protection Network™ cloud computing security infrastructure, a next-generation cloud-client innovation that combines sophisticated cloud-based reputation technology, feedback loops, and the expertise of TrendLabs(SM) researchers to deliver real-time protection from emerging threats. A transnational company, with headquarters in Tokyo, Trend Micro's trusted security solutions are sold through its business partners worldwide. Please visit TrendMicro.com

(1) Officer of the Order of the British Empire

(2) Queen's Police Medal

SOURCE Trend Micro Incorporated