Information Security News: Microsoft to Hackers: Drop That Code!

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

Forwarded from: William Knowles <wk () c4i org>

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,4149,1528843,00.asp

By David Morgenstern 
February 17, 2004 

Microsoft Corp. is warning the online community to keep its hands off 
purloined Windows source code. 

The company on Tuesday confirmed it had sent legal warnings to some 
persons who it said had downloaded the stolen code from the Internet.

Source code from Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000 was posted on the 
Internet on Thursday, and Microsoft Corp. said at the time that it had 
initiated internal and external investigations. 

Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft declined to specify the contents or the 
distribution of its warning message. But according to a report filed 
on Steven Bink's and Ryan Hoffman's Amsterdam-based Bink.nu site, 
Microsoft warned at least one recipient that he was in violation of 
copyright laws. 

"The unauthorized copying and distribution of Microsoft's protected 
source code is a violation of both civil and criminal copyright and 
trade secret laws," Bink.nu quotes the notice as reading. "If you have 
downloaded and are making the source code available for downloading by 
others, you are violating Microsoft's rights, and could be subject to 
severe civil and criminal penalties." 

The letter then demands that persons in possession of the source code 
stop sharing the code, destroy copies and inform Microsoft of the 
origin of the copy. 

Bink said the recipient of the letter had downloaded the leaked code 
through a peer-to-peer network that had automatically shared his copy. 
Microsoft traced him through that channel, he said. Microsoft sent the 
letter to his Internet Service Provider, which then forwarded the 
e-mail message. 

The legal message continues: "Microsoft takes these issues very 
seriously, and will pursue legal action against individuals who take 
part in the proliferation of it source code. We look forward to your 
prompt cooperation. Should you need to contact me, I can be reached at 
the address above" 

Microsoft spokesman Tom Pilla confirmed that the company had sent out 
the cease-and-desist notices since the Windows code began appearing on 
Thursday, but he declined to provide any further details. 

"We are obviously taking all appropriate legal actions to protect our 
intellectual property," he said. 

Besides the illegal receipt of copyrighted materials, persons 
downloading the source code—especially developers—could face other 
problems,, legal experts said. Individuals examining the Windows code 
could face charges of trade-secret violations and infringement of 
software patents. 

eWEEK.com reporter Matt Hicks contributed to this report. 


 
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