Microsoft has filed 21 lawsuits in various U.S. Federal courts as part of an effort to stop those who are career pirates of its software. The suits span 14 states and target people and businesses that have allegedly sold pirated copies of Microsoft software.

Eight of the suits target companies that Microsoft refers to as "repeat offender software pirates." The eight firms have already been sued by Microsoft for selling counterfeit software.

Microsoft said that after it had taken legal action, many pirates cleaned up their acts.