Microsoft Expands Customer Safeguards

Microsoft Corp. will expand the legal protection it offers customers in a bid to fend off the Linux operating system, whose sellers often don’t have similar safeguards.

Microsoft, which previously protected only volume-license customers who buy many copies directly from Microsoft, will now defend all customers and cover legal costs related to suits for infringement of patents, copyrights, trade secrets or trademarks. Copyright or patent holders sometimes sue customers using a product they believe has infringed their patent.