Source-code Windows 2000 en NT gelekt

Erg lullig voor Microsoft: De source code van zowel Windows 2000 als Windows NT is gelekt op het internet. Microsoft heeft het zelf in een persbericht bevestigd:

On Thursday, Microsoft became aware that portions of the Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows NT 4.0 source code were illegally made available on the Internet. It?s illegal for third parties to post Microsoft source code, and we take such activity very seriously.

We are currently investigating these postings and are working with the appropriate law-enforcement authorities.

At this point it does not appear that this is the result of any breach of Microsoft?s corporate network or internal security.

At this time there is no known impact on customers. We will continue to monitor the situation.

SignOnSanDiego.com legt uit wat je met die broncode kunt:

Access to the source code could allow hackers to exploit the operating system and attack machines running some versions of Windows. Several versions of the operating system, including the ones containing leaked code, are used on hundreds of millions of computers worldwide.

Such access could also provide a competitive edge to Microsoft rivals, who would gain a much better understanding of the inner workings of Microsoft's technology.

In hetzelfde artikel is het volgende te lezen:

Microsoft has previously shared some of its source code with some companies, U.S. government agencies, foreign governments and universities under tight restrictions that prevent such organizations from making it publicly available. But the company has generally argued that the blueprint to its operating system is proprietary, and shouldn't be made public.

Still, because some people outside Microsoft have had access to the code, analysts said it wasn't too surprising for such a leak to occur at some point.

Het verbaast me zeer dat pas nu gedeeltes van de broncode gelekt zijn. ALS je de beschikking hebt over (gedeeltes van) de broncode is de verleiding toch wel errug groot om die openbaar te maken. Als stunt zeg maar ;).

The story continues ... :)

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