----------------------------------- octopi Thu Feb 12, 2004 11:21 pm Microsoft goes open source. ----------------------------------- Microsoft has finally gone open source.... Well...no, not open source....but there source code is now availble for people to find more of the many flaws, easier... So....there goes microsofts number one security feature "Its closed source, so hackers can't find holes as easy...." WOW, that logic is broken.... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37648-2004Feb12.html ----------------------------------- Paul Thu Feb 12, 2004 11:24 pm ----------------------------------- operating system has been leaked Does that mean ppl stole the info from whereever they store it, or did it actually "leak" out, like given away. ----------------------------------- octopi Thu Feb 12, 2004 11:25 pm ----------------------------------- Microsoft doesn't want it out....it was probally leaked by a crazy worker, foreign government agency, or some other means.....the last thing Microsoft wants is there source code availble. ----------------------------------- Paul Thu Feb 12, 2004 11:27 pm ----------------------------------- well, according to this article, its not THAT big a deal. Internet appears to be roughly 660 megabytes in size, about the size of one CD-ROM's worth of data. That is far short of the estimated 40 gigabytes of data that makes up the entire 40 million lines of code in the Windows operating system. "From a security standpoint, this is sort of like capturing a 1956 Russian fighter jet," But, is there danger for ppl like you and me? ----------------------------------- santabruzer Thu Feb 12, 2004 11:29 pm ----------------------------------- hey wait a minute.. the Whole MSN system was down like two days ago.. as in down down.. i wonder if it was all a hack in :P ----------------------------------- octopi Thu Feb 12, 2004 11:30 pm ----------------------------------- My guess of the source code...is that even a small chunk of it, would still be harmful. With the source code, its much easier to spot potential spots where an attack can be made. Such as unchecked user input, possible buffer overflow attacks, etc... I want to know exactly how 40 million lines of code when compiled results in less then 600 mb....I wonder where the equilibrium point is, where code size = compiled size...... ----------------------------------- Paul Thu Feb 12, 2004 11:30 pm ----------------------------------- Well according to someone I read, it was the weekly midnight 1 hr down, if it was because of that code leak, there'd have been a big deal about it. ----------------------------------- octopi Thu Feb 12, 2004 11:32 pm ----------------------------------- ....you mean there weekly midnight shut down, that normally happens at 1:59 am, which acctually happened around 9:35pm.....yah....must have been there weekly shutdown. That problem wasn't a regular shutdown, I think it was acctually a major router that went down...cause the network connection died right after bellnexxia reached seattle, so I dunno. ----------------------------------- Paul Thu Feb 12, 2004 11:36 pm ----------------------------------- Bell Nexxia: Consulting services in telecommunication solutions? I've finally come to an opinion that this isn't such a big deal. Microsoft's so big, that it prolly leaked b4 this one, and prolly will leak again. Its inevitable. ----------------------------------- Martin Fri Feb 13, 2004 12:36 am ----------------------------------- Funny how linux is more stable, and it's 100% open source. And there's no linuxupdate.linux.org. ;) ----------------------------------- wtd Fri Feb 13, 2004 12:44 am ----------------------------------- This leak could be extremely dangerous for open source, actually. Just look at what SCO is currently doing. Microsoft could use this against projects like WINE, suing them for copyright infringements with the argument that they saw the source, so they probably copied some of it. They don't have to be right to win, they just have to stay in the fight longer than whoever they're suing can. ----------------------------------- octopi Fri Feb 13, 2004 8:32 am ----------------------------------- Problem is WINE, is open source....so someone could simply look at the source, and compare it, and see the differences. Then microsoft could sue anyone.....so why don't they just sue random people right now? ----------------------------------- DanShadow Fri Feb 13, 2004 8:58 am ----------------------------------- lmfao! That is funny...and kinda sad. Microsoft Windows code leak, wow...I didnt even think that was possible...but wow. Poor rich microsoft corporation... *sheds a single tear*. Oh well, now time for Windows XP to be broken....(or not, cough I didnt just say that...looks around afraid of the shadows that are coming closer in his room...help!) ----------------------------------- Amailer Fri Feb 13, 2004 11:06 am ----------------------------------- hmmm ya. the joy. ----------------------------------- Homer_simpson Fri Feb 13, 2004 11:29 am ----------------------------------- so what's the worse that could happen? ppl using windows for free? ----------------------------------- octopi Fri Feb 13, 2004 11:48 am ----------------------------------- No, people couldn't use windows for free....because the entire source wasn't leaked, only part. The worst that can happen, is someone could look at the code, and easily spot potential buffer overflow attacks, or other unchecked data sources. Because windows hasn't had its source avalible from the start, like linux... source code leak = more attacks. ----------------------------------- wtd Fri Feb 13, 2004 1:20 pm ----------------------------------- No, people couldn't use windows for free....because the entire source wasn't leaked, only part. The worst that can happen, is someone could look at the code, and easily spot potential buffer overflow attacks, or other unchecked data sources. And given that it's not open source, the good people can't contribute back their fixes to the rest of the world. ----------------------------------- wtd Fri Feb 13, 2004 1:22 pm ----------------------------------- Problem is WINE, is open source....so someone could simply look at the source, and compare it, and see the differences. Thing is, for that to happen MS woud hav to give a court permission to see their source. (courts won't trust a copy of the leaked source). MS would stall and drag its feet on this point to financially cripple its opponent. ----------------------------------- Dan Fri Feb 13, 2004 3:20 pm ----------------------------------- dose any one eltes think it is realy wrong that u could find securiy holes by looking at there code? i mean if they did it right u should not beable to right? and if they think poleop will find thess holes why where they not fixed when it was made??? this all gose to show how bad M$ realy is. now when will my linux dl be done..... ----------------------------------- recneps Fri Feb 13, 2004 3:53 pm ----------------------------------- They make these things wrong with it so that you will have to buy the later one, which is better, like cars and shoes :) ----------------------------------- octopi Fri Feb 13, 2004 3:55 pm ----------------------------------- Problem is WINE, is open source....so someone could simply look at the source, and compare it, and see the differences. Thing is, for that to happen MS woud hav to give a court permission to see their source. (courts won't trust a copy of the leaked source). MS would stall and drag its feet on this point to financially cripple its opponent. Your assuming the the government doesn't already have it. Microsoft has released the source code to foreign governments, I would have assumed the US would have it. Sure they would stall... Also remember this linux is open source....but, it can still be copyright infrinded upon. So them just saying...look our source got public, they MUST have used it, might not be a good enough arguement. If microsoft starts a case, and then they refuse, or delay in releasing evidence, the case would probally be dropped. ----------------------------------- shorthair Fri Feb 13, 2004 7:00 pm ----------------------------------- no no no , Homer , if you take a lookk aat the article , only 440 meg was released of the 40 gig of source , and how the hell do you compress 40gig int o700meg THATS INSANE , i want hat program ,that would make a 4 gig dvd movie into like 80 megs ----------------------------------- roer Mon Feb 16, 2004 11:51 am ----------------------------------- They stole the Windows 2000 code which is based on NT. XP is based on NT, Longhorn will be based on NT, 2003 is based on NT. In other words, anything over Windows ME is pretty much screwed :roll: This is where Linux takes off :) ----------------------------------- Andy Mon Feb 16, 2004 6:47 pm ----------------------------------- its not XP so it shouldnt matter THAT much ----------------------------------- Amailer Mon Feb 16, 2004 7:40 pm ----------------------------------- its not XP so it shouldnt matter THAT much why? they just carry on the bugs, just change the name of their OS :roll: ----------------------------------- roer Mon Feb 16, 2004 8:04 pm ----------------------------------- its not XP so it shouldnt matter THAT much 2000 is based off NT4 and XP is based off an NT5 kernel. I'd say it matters a bit ----------------------------------- shorthair Mon Feb 16, 2004 8:18 pm ----------------------------------- Any bugs exploited will be fixed , and how will windows go downhill , no one has yet to surpass it , how ill it be the rise of linux, roer you have no evidence to prove your points or whoever posted that ----------------------------------- Paul Mon Feb 16, 2004 8:41 pm ----------------------------------- What I want to know is, are there any immediate danger to my computer??! If there is... then I need to start being careful. ----------------------------------- roer Mon Feb 16, 2004 10:38 pm ----------------------------------- Any bugs exploited will be fixed , and how will windows go downhill , no one has yet to surpass it , how ill it be the rise of linux, roer you have no evidence to prove your points or whoever posted that Windows is already referred to as swiss cheese by many people. Talk in IRC linux chats and ask them what they think about it. Even with 440MB of the Windows source code out it can cause serious damage, not all exploits will be found in a couple days. Have you seen the filelist for the 2000 source code? Its pretty hilarious actually, Microsofts programmers are really something. ----------------------------------- wtd Tue Feb 17, 2004 10:36 pm ----------------------------------- its not XP so it shouldnt matter THAT much 2000 is based off NT4 and XP is based off an NT5 kernel. I'd say it matters a bit Windows 2000 is NT5. Windows XP is NT5.1.