Microsoft sued over Forefront security brand

A maker of software for construction companies has sued Microsoft over its use of the Forefront name for its security software.

Seattle-based Dexter + Chaney has been selling its “Forefront Construction Management Software” for nearly two decades, the company’s spokesman Brad Mathews said Friday. “The brand has come to mean a great deal to us and our clients, and we hope to our prospects as well,” he said.

Dexter + Chaney filed suit against Microsoft on Thursday in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington in Seattle. The company is seeking an injunction barring Microsoft from using the Forefront name.

Microsoft announced Forefront in June as a single brand that encompasses updated and upcoming security products aimed at businesses. “They will be selling under our brand to the very same people that we sell to,” Mathews said. “Before the marketplace gets confused, and our business is hurt, we’d like them to pick another name.”

Read more: CNET News.com