[LINK] Microsoft admits part of Windows source code has leaked

[Bernard Robertson-Dunn]

Microsoft admits part of Windows source code has leaked
Seattle
February 13, 2004
SMH
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/02/13/1076548201785.html

Microsoft Corp says parts of its Windows source code - the tightly guarded
blueprints of its dominant operating system - has been leaked over the
internet.

AP quoted Microsoft spokesman Tom Pilla as saying said late yesterday that
some incomplete portions of the Windows 2000 and Windows NT4 source code
had been "illegally made available on the internet".

Access to the source code could allow hackers to exploit the operating
system and attack machines running Windows, which is used on hundreds of
millions of computers worldwide.

The company was made aware of the leak today and is investigating, Pilla
said.

He did not know how much of the code had been leaked or how many people may
have gained access to it. The company could not immediately pinpoint the
source of the leak, and has contacted law enforcement authorities.

Pilla said there was no indication the code leak was a result of a breach
of Microsoft's corporate network. There was no known immediate impact to
Microsoft customers, he said.

Sam, Varghese adds: Earlier, posts to the Full_disclosure vulnerability
mailing list said that rumours were floating around on some websites and
internet relay chat channels that the complete source code to Windows NT
and Windows 2000 was available for download.

Some posters provided links to sites where the code could be downloaded but
these links appear to have gone dead.

A Microsoft spokesman said: "The rumour regarding the availability of
Windows source code is based (on) the speculation of an individual who saw
a small section of unidentified code and thought it looked like Windows
code. Microsoft is looking into this as a matter of due diligence."

Nearly four years ago, the tech site Wired reported that the source code to
a future version of Windows, codenamed Whistler, had leaked out. There was
no confirmation of this.

The same year Microsoft admitted that its corporate computer network had
been broken into by attackers who had gained access to the Windows source
code; however, the company's chief executive officer, Steve Ballmer,
insisted that there had been no tampering with key programs.

Microsoft has provided Windows source code to some businesses under its
Enterprise Source Licensing Program.

Some countries have also been given a peek at the source, among them Russia
and China.

-- 
Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a great ship
-- Benjamin Franklin

Regards
brd

Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Canberra Australia
brd at austarmetro.com.au