Re: Windows 2000 Source Code File

From: Jem Berkes (jb_at_users.pc9.org)
Date: 02/17/04 

Date: 17 Feb 2004 03:19:17 GMT

>]In case you weren't aware, this is illegal.
>
> Sorry, amplify what you feel is illegal? A trade secret is a trade
> secret only as long as it remains secret. This is not secret, and thus
> not a trade secret. Perhaps someone violated a contract in releasing
> it, but that is an issue between MS and that someone.

Is the source code not protected under US Copyright law? Whether or not the
underlying technologies are trade secrets, copyright law still protects
written intellectual property including source code.

> Of course there is also copyright law, but that is a civil offense
> which MS has to find who copied it and sue for damages.

I expect others to respect copyrights I place on my own work, so I think
it's fair to extend the respect to other owners.

> Well, MS seems to think it is worth a lot.
> For example, it could be a way of finding out what "extentions" they
> have placed onto the standards which they then use. Or if they have
> used other people's code without permission (eg GPL code).

Not my place to say, certainly, but it will be interesting to watch what
might happen as a result of people analyzing this code. I wonder if this
code includes any of that MS crypto stuff? I shudder to think how easy it
might be to craft very serious remote root exploits now that crackers can
directly the source they're working with. 

-- 
Jem Berkes
http://www.sysdesign.ca/

Relevant Pages
Quantcast