p2pnet - rss feed: Microsoft code theft overplayed
p2pnet.net News:- Is the theft and subsequent online distribution of Microsoft’s stolen Windows 2000 and NT 4.0 code a big deal? Or isn’t it?
News that 30,915 files apparently taken from a Linux computer used by Mainsoft for development purposes were loose on the Net produced a flood of shock-horror stories and dire predictions - for example that hackers might find vulnerabilities in the code.
Others thought a great deal of egg on Microsoft’s face might be the only consequence and indeed, “the early consensus among computer engineers who study security is that the incident may be more of a public relations embarrassment than a looming security crisis for the software maker and its customers” says a Washington Post story here.
And, “as a security guy, I have a hard time convincing myself we are going to see lots and lots of vulnerabilities as a result of this,” it quotes Bruce Schneier, founder of Counterpane Internet Security, as saying.
“Finding vulnerabilities in Microsoft code is so easy anyway,” he said.
The Post also has Marc Maiffret, a former hacker who started a computer security company, saying the wide availability of portions of the Windows source code may make it easier for hackers to write malicious software attacks against parts of the operating system but, “most of the code that is now being downloaded across the Web does not appear to reveal the inner workings of Windows networking or data-sharing protocols - which are of the highest interest to hackers”.
In the meanwhile, Microsoft has contacted the FBI.
