Microsoft has fired off more than 50 lawsuits in its ongoing fight against counterfeit software.

The firm said yesterday that it had targeted global online auction sites in its latest punch-up with pirates who flog dodgy copies of Microsoft apps.

It filed 52 lawsuits and referred 22 cases to local cop shops in 22 countries against resellers who allegedly punted counterfeit versions of the software King Kong's products on various online marketplaces.

In July Microsoft, Chinese police and the FBI busted a syndicate of pirates following several raids in the southern China province of Guangdong which led to 25 arrests.

Redmond said 15 of the total lawsuits filed yesterday involved software that could be traced back to the Chinese gang.

This followed investigations into the software flogged by the syndicate in which it was found that the pirated products were sold online through auction sites.

eBay said it would continue to work closely with Microsoft to help clampdown on the rampant flogging of pirated software on its website.

"As our business has grown and the challenges of global counterfeiting have become more complex, cooperation with law enforcement and rights owners has become more critical - we need to fight the sale of counterfeit goods together," eBay trust and safety VP Matt Halprin said in a statement.

Microsoft's press release is here. ®