Have Cybersquatters Brought Down Microsoft.com?

Microsoft just e-mailed the media with a link to a press release, “Microsoft Launches Enforcement Campaign Targeting Website “Cybersquatters” Who Use Online Ads.”

Only we can’t read the release. Not only is Microsoft’s PressPass Web site down, so’s the entire microsoft.com domain. Their PRs sounded surprised to hear the news.

Here’s their pitch: “Microsoft has been growing its ability to identify and target cyber and typo squatters for some time. The enforcement initiatives, for example, build on months of cutting-edge research and investigations carried out by Microsoft to target those who misuse intellectual property for monetary gain. The company’s Trademark and Internet Safety Enforcement groups began to notice a surge in domain name registrations containing the company’s intellectual property earlier this year while monitoring websites registered by online operators.”

Did disgruntled cybersquatters bring down one of the biggest domains on the Web? Makes you wonder.