Microsoft Warning Leaked Code Traders

An anonymous reader writes "Broadand Reports notes that Microsoft is now sending snail mail warnings to downloaders of the leaked source code. They're also apparently working in conjunction with several un-named peer to peer vendors to send out legal warnings to any users who search for the leaked code. The notice on Microsoft's website has been updated to reflect the new warnings."

Yes, but will it run on

[Anonymous Coward]

http://www.sun.com/servers/entry/v20z/ [sun.com]

Best threat of all

[AvantLegion]

You download it, you gotta run it!

Can't take it back

[Anonymous Coward]

Once its leaked on the Internet, you can't take it back. People WILL take a peek at it. If Microsoft really needs to be convinced, they should talk to Pam and Tommy :)

I can see the letter now

[glen604]

Dear Sir, Please, please, please don't look for more exploits in our code! We've got enough already to keep us busy for the next decade or so. Signed, Your pals at Microsoft.

MS Snail Mail

[Erratio]

Probably a package that weighs 5 pounds, doesn't open right, has about 2 sentences of actual use, and then crubmles while being read.

does anyone think they'll find the source?

[junkymailbox]

but does anyone think MS will find the source that leaked the source?

(pun intended)

THAT IS PERFECT.

[Anonymous Coward]

They're also apparently working in conjunction with several un-named peer to peer vendors to send out legal warnings to any users who search for the leaked code.

Oh my God, that's great.

Anyone want to suddenly start hopping on kazaa and posting spoofed search requests for "leaked windows 2000 code" which appear to be coming from the IP addresses of the White House, the Dennis Hastert re-election campaign, various randomly selected people, entire blocks inside of Time-Warner...

It could be like a p2p reverse honeypot.

Once a few thousand people start getting threatening legal notices from MS for something they didn't do, what happens next?

Re:kazaa, bittorrent, emule/edonkey?

[TrollBridge]

"seems like a natural, uh, application, for the freenet project ;)"i>

Nothing like being moderated up for encouraging people to break the law.

Wait.

[Omni Magnus]

Does this mean that Windows is open source. Is it cool to use Windows yet?

I used to have the compiled code

[wardomon]

But it was kinda buggy.

oops!

[3Cats]

...Microsoft source code is both copyrighted and protected as a trade secret. ..Well, their half-right now! :-D

Re:Can't take it back

[bstil]

and paris hilton

now it makes sense

[maxbang]

I was wondering why when I tried compiling it, it stopped halfway through and I heard Madonna's voice scream, "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

MS warnings in the mail

[jonfromspace]

Dear Peer-to-Peer user,

Please do not download our source code or we will be forced to sue you. We are not kidding, we will sue you. Seriously, we'll sue...

Sincerly,

Bill Gates

Reply
Dear Bill.

Please stop poluting the internet with your crappy source. Every time I search for porn now, I get coppies of some crappy pile of shit called winedows or something. Furthermore, don't even talk to me about frivilous litigation bub. I wrote that book.

Besides, your source leak is stealing my valuable press. How am I supposed to dump my stock if I can't pump it first.

P.S. Thanks for the license fees.

Yours in infamy,

Darl.

Re:Don't mess with MS

[morcheeba]

Don't mess with Microsoft, they have the money and the power to track you down

if this is true, then why haven't I gotten my $245 [snopes.com] from Bill yet? I forwarded that email to a zillion friends, waited two weeks, and still no check.

ms warning

[theMerovingian]

I must have found one of these warnings - when I downloaded "Windows_source_code.zip", all it contained was a .wav file of Bill Gates cussing at me.

Re:How did it leak?

[DR SoB]

They donated an old computer to Goodwill and some lucky techy picked it up.. Next time they should learn would FDISK.EXE does..

Seriously, who says it was a "leak", I think the on-going conspiracy theory is that it was intentional distributed.

[Don't trust everything you read.. Unless it's on /.]

Re:MS Snail Mail

[Anonymous Coward]

don't forget the license on the inside that tells you what terms you agreed to when you opened it.

Re:Don't mess with MS

[KrispyKringle]

See, the real reason MS doesn't want the code spreading is because they are embarassed at the frequency the word ``fuck'', ``shit'', and ``BUGBUG'' occurs in code comments (13, 577, and 7462 times, a little bird told me).

That, and the whole stolen-intelllectual-property thing.

That said, while they are certainly within their rights, it seems to me like the cat's outta the bag. They won't be able to stop the real malicious types, the virus writers and pirates, so they may as well save their time. For that matter, they'd released enough source to governments and researchers that it was bound to happen sooner or later.

They can sue me for WHAT?

[de_boer_man]

To sum up the article:

Microsoft can now sue you for...

...taking a leak!

<rimshot/>

The Leak Source

[ZHaDoom]

For those of you still looking for the leaked source code here it is:

#include "windows.h"
#include "system_errors.h"
#include "stdlib.h"
#include "msdos_bugs.h"

char make_prog_look_big[1600000];

main()
{
if (detect_OS2())
freeze();

if (detect_cache())
disable_cache();

if (fast_cpu())
set_wait_states(lots);

set_mouse(speed, very_slow);
set_mouse(action, jumpy);
set_mouse(reaction, sometimes);
set_icons(UGLY);

print("Welcome to Windoze 3.11111");

if (system_ok())
crash(to_dos_prompt);
else
system_memory = open("a:\swp0001.swp", O_CREATE);

while(1) {
sleep(5);
get_user_input();
sleep(5);
act_on_user_input();
sleep(5);
if (rand() < 0.9)
crash(complete_system);
}
return(unrecoverable_system);
}

I used to work for Mac OS X

[Aqua OS X]

The first companys named for inspection are google, sony playstation and Mac OS X.

I used to work for MacOSX, but they fired me. Now I work for Playstation.

Re:Leaked on Purpose?

[lpangelrob2]

CTO: 2k isn't safe anymore... you set aside funding for Longhorn, right?
CFO: Yeah, we put $100,000 in 10-year T-bonds yesterday...

I don't get it!

[kyshtock]

Subsequent investigation has shown this was not the result of any breach of Microsoft's corporate network or internal security, nor is it related to Microsoft's Shared Source Initiative or its Government Security Program, which enable our customers and partners, as well as governments, to legally access Microsoft source code. Microsoft reaffirms its support for both the Shared Source Initiative and the Government Security Program.

I just don't get it. No security breach. Not related to the SSI, nor GSP. Then how did it leak???? Psychics?

Someone got kicked off their ISP...

[boris_the_hacker]

... because they put up an archive called "kernel-source-2.6.3.tar.bz2"

No one actually checked what it contained but blindly assumed it was windows. Heh. Funny world.

Q: How do they know the snail addy of web users?

[sootman]

A: Why oh why did I register with Insta-Trace?!?

$100 for forwarding this email...

[cthulhubob]

Holy crap, Microsoft can find your physical mailing address if you download their source code...

Does that mean those people I laughed at in high school for circulating that thing about Bill Gates sending you $100 for forwarding this email were RIGHT?!

Damn, now I wish I'd been stupid enough to send that thing on - I could use an extra hundred bucks.

I got a letter from Microsoft today...

[Anubis333]

It had a EULA shrinkwrapped to it that said "Upon opening this letter I am hereby agreeing to..." so I just tossed it in the trash. I guess I'll wait till one of the letters gets leaked online, then I can just download it.

Re:How did it leak?

[foobsr]

The only logical inference to be made is that they deliberately 'leaked' it themselves (as already made here and also quoted elsewhere).

A more psychological one is that they are not in a position to observe that there is no logic in their proposition.

CC.

Re:The Leak Source

[DotQuantum]

actually the original was a bit bigger then that. mb you just cut it cause it would be really large as a comment. but for those that want to see the whole windows source code. /* Source Code Windows 2000 */ #include "win31.h" #include "win95.h" #include "win98.h" #include "workst~1.h" #include "evenmore.h" #include "oldstuff.h" #include "billrulz.h" #include "monopoly.h" #include "backdoor.h" #define INSTALL = HARD char make_prog_look_big(16000000); void main() { while(!CRASHED) { display_copyright_message(); display_bill_rules_message(); do_nothing_loop(); if (first_time_installation) { make_100_megabyte_swapfile(); do_nothing_loop(); totally_screw_up_HPFS_file_system(); search_and_destroy_the_rest_of-OS2(); make_futile_attempt_to_damage_Linux(); disable_Netscape(); disable_RealPlayer(); disable_Lotus_Products(); hang_system(); } //if write_something(anything); display_copyright_message(); do_nothing_loop(); do_some_stuff(); if (still_not_crashed) { display_copyright_message(); do_nothing_loop(); basically_run_windows_31(); do_nothing_loop(); } // if } //while if (detect_cache()) disable_cache(); if (fast_cpu()) { set_wait_states(lots); set_mouse(speed,very_slow); set_mouse(action,jumpy); set_mouse(reaction,sometimes); } //if /* printf("Welcome to Windows 3.1"); */ /* printf("Welcome to Windows 3.11"); */ /* printf("Welcome to Windows 95"); */ /* printf("Welcome to Windows NT 3.0"); */ /* printf("Welcome to Windows 98"); */ /* printf("Welcome to Windows NT 4.0"); */ printf("Welcome to Windows 2000"); if (system_ok()) crash(to_dos_prompt) else system_memory = open("a:swp0001.swp",O_CREATE); while(something) { sleep(5); get_user_input(); sleep(5); act_on_user_input(); sleep(5); } // while create_general_protection_fault(); } // main

Horse

[RetroGeek]

Barn Door
Close

Oh wait.....

Re:print it

[cant_get_a_good_nick]

I thought there's a CD or so worth of compressed code. You'd need a small font and/or a huge CD to get it to fit. Well, given the higher than average percentage of coders putting on XXXL t-shirts, you may have a shot.

Re:I Dare You: +1, Patriotic

[Anonymous Coward]

Here you go:

#include <bsod.h>
#include <gigsofdlls.h>

int main (void) {

if ( 1 ) {
BSOD();
}

return 0;
}

NOW they tell me :(

[jon787]

After I get my network connection killed

Re:Wait.

[JaredOfEuropa]

Is it cool to use Windows yet?

No. Wait until someone imagines a Beowulf cluster of it

Re:Can't take it back

[armando_wall]

Yeah, it's like that old pool analogy:

Putting something in the Internet is like peeing in a swimming pool. You just can't take it back.

Yes, you should mess with them

[Anonymous Coward]

Print the source code and hang it to your wall. And every morning, before you go to work, make a deep promise not to write that kind of horrible crap! (Yes it's awful)

Inside Microsoft...

[pclminion]

Ballmer: "Hey, Bill. Some intern from down in engineering came up with this great idea. No, don't worry, I fired him -- how dare he propose such a thing <grins evilly>"

Gates: "Interesting Steve... What's this idea?"

Ballmer: "Well, suppose we leaked the 2K and NT4 sources on the Internet."

Gates: "I'm not sure I follow."

Ballmer: "Think about it. We've got stagnating revenue streams from companies who are still using NT4 and 2000. We've got people continually hacking our software. Are you seeing the connection here?"

Gates: "Sure, I get you: release the source code, so hackers can analyze it to find all the holes. We get free QA, and in the meantime, we can pressure our customers to upgrade to XP, because it's not vulnerable to these source code attacks. Thus, getting more money for us, from people who wouldn't have otherwise upgraded. Brilliant!"

Ballmer: "You're catching on. And hey, I just thought of an extra bonus! We can track down people who actually download the source code and sue them. That way, we get another auxiliary revenue stream from court, make ourselves look good by appearing to 'fight hackers,' and strengthen the hostile attitudes held toward open source software by linking them to our stolen source code! Another inch closer to having a lock-hold on the Supreme Court when they finally make the big decisions about the validity of intellectual property!"

Gates: "Why, this could have a favorable impact on the outcome of the SCO case, could it not?"

Ballmer: "Sure. Those stupid Linux fanboys and their 'take over the world' nonsense. They don't understand who they're playing ball with."

Re:The Leak Source - More

[ZHaDoom]

Here is some more code:

Subject: *** TOP SECRET MICROSOFT CODE ***
Project: Version - Windows 98

Microsoft marketing strategy (MARKET.EXE):

#include
#include
#include&nbsp ; /* Microsoft Network Connectivity library */
#include /* For the court of law */

#define say(x) lie(x)
#define computeruser ALL_WANT_TO_BUY_OUR_BUGWARE
#define next_year soon
#define the_product_is_ready_to_ship another_beta_version

void main()
{if (latest_window_version>one_month_old)
{if (there_are_still_bugs)
market(bugfix);
if (sales_drop_below_certain_point)
raise(RUMOURS_ABOUT_A_NEW_BUGLESS_VERSION);
&nbsp ; (while(everyone_chats_about_new_version)
make_false_promise(it_will_be_multitasking); /* Standard Call, in
lie.h */
if (rumours_grow_wilder)
make_false_promise(it_will_be_plug_n_play);
&nbsp ; if (rumours_grow_even_wilder)
market_time=ripe;
say("It will be ready in one month);
order(programmers, stop_fixing_bugs_in_old_version);
order(programmers, start_brainstorm_about_new_version);
order(marketingstaff, permission_to_spread_nonsense);
vapourware=TRUE;
break;

switch (nasty_questions_of_the_worldpress)
case WHEN_WILL_IT_BE_READY:
say("It will be ready in", today+30_days," we're just testing");
break;
case WILL_THIS_PLUG_AND_PLAY_THING_WORK:
say("Yes it will work");
ask(programmers, why_does_it_not_work);
pretend(there_is_no_problem);
break;
case WHAT_ARE_MINIMAL_HARDWARE_REQUIREMENTS:
say("It will run on a 8086 with lightning speed due to"
" the 32 bits architecture");
inform(INTEL, "Pentium sales will rise skyhigh");
inform(SAMSUNG, "Start a new memorychip plant"
"'cos all those customers will need at least 32 megs");
inform(QUANTUM, "Thanks to our fatware your sales will triple");
get_big_bonus(INTEL, SAMSUNG, QUANTUM);
break;
case DOES_MICROSOFT_GET_TOO_MUCH_INFLUENCE:
say("Oh no, we are just here to make a better world for
everyone");
register(journalist, Big_Bill_Book);
when(time_is_ripe)
arrest(journalist);
brainwash(journalist);
when(journalist_says_windows95_is_bugfree)
&nbsp ; order(journalist, "write a nice objective article");
release (journalist);
break;

while (vapourware)
introduction_date++; /* Delay */
if (no_one_believes_anymore_there_will_be_a_release)
break;
say("It will be ready in",today+ONE_MONTH);

release(beta_version)
while (everyone_is_dumb_enough_to_buy_our_bugware)
&nbs p; bills_bank_account += 150*megabucks;
release(new_and_even_better_beta_version);
introduce(more_memory_requirements);
if (customers_report_installation_problems)
say("that is a hardware problem, not a software problem");
if (smart_customer_says_but_you_promised_plug_and_pla y)
ignore(customer);
order(microsoft_intelligence_agency, "Keep an eye on this
bastard");

if ( bills_bank_account>skyhigh && marriage>two_years )
divorce(woman_that_was_beatifull_when_I_married_he r);
wave(dollars, at_lusty_chicks);
marry(young_blond_virgin_with_big_boobies);
&nbsp ; devirginize(young_blond_virgin_with_big_boobies);
if (boobies_start_to_hang)
dump(young_blond_virgin_with_big_boobies);

&nbs p; if (there_is_another_company)
steal(their_ideas);
accuse(compagny, stealing_our_ideas);
hire(a_lot_of_lawyers); /* in process.h */
wait(until_other_company_cannot_afford_another_law suit);
buy_out(other_company);

/* Now

Re:Traders or Traitors?

[cayenne8]

"I didn't get to the top of the food chain, just to become a vegetarian!!!"

:-D

trade secret ?

[Tsiangkun]

"Microsoft source code is [...]protected as a trade secret."

I never met anyone who could keep a secret forever.

--
Tsiangkun

Re:You people are missing an important point.

[switcha]

but they can still lapse if they aren't defended comensurate to their value.

So....you're saying MS should just do nothing?

Re:Traders or Traitors?

[uv_light]

who knows, maybe later they will define the term "leak source code", and have update in their notice, "we did not have any leak source code". just wait and see.

Re:I don't get it!

[Zordak]

Then how did it leak????

Well you see, the bathroom door was locked...

Re:THAT IS PERFECT.

[Anonymous Coward]

Even better, spoof some Microsoft IPs. Then, the MS legal department will send threatening letters to other MS departments.

Hmm, let's see... Does MS have an office in China?

Re:Don't mess with MS

[Cruciform]

The money was real, they just couldn't believe you had any friends :)

Re:Don't mess with MS

[Anonymous Coward]

Anyway what's the point in seeing/having it?

To learn how to cheat at Solitaire?

It is a massive right-wing conspiracy...

[Ponfyr]

...to poison the Wine Project [winehq.org] I tell you! Microsoft will claim wine dev team all had access to source-code! It's a trap, Wine developers must pull their net access cables from the walls immediately before it too late! Sign-off now!!!!!! We will contact you later by smoke signal to let you kow when its all clear.

Trust no one!

.signature

EVERYBODY already has it!

[Anonymous Coward]

If the local state-run university my sons attends is any indication, everybody who wants a copy ALREADY has it!!

My son says that every computer science student he knows already has downloaded a copy and that students are eagerly trading copies among themselves!

Re:Can't take it back

[jpmkm]

and janet jackson

can I be modded funny too?

Re:Traders or Traitors?

[TobiasSodergren]

The phenomenon is called "quantum jumping". The code jumped from one Quantum harddrive to another.

Re:I Dare You: +1, Patriotic

[Anonymous Coward]

I can't seem to find the gigsofdlls header file...

Re:Traders or Traitors?

[H1r0Pr0tag0n1st]

I have his picture of Bill G. in my head walking around carrying a sack in the middle of the night going,
"Here kitty kitty.....
get back in this bag you little F---ing Batstard"

Re:Copyright and GPL

[t_allardyce]

Well personally i find it pretty shitty that some corporation thinks it has the right to tell me what i can and cannot 'search' for. Microsoft, go fuck yourselves, you let the code out, its in the open, you cant make that go-away.

Re:Warnings?

[Geek of Tech]

I certainly hope noone downloaded it through my wireless network..... That would be so incredibly lousy....

OT - Re:Traders or Traitors?

[buzzdecafe]

Customers running Windows XP Service Pack 1 or Windows Server 2003 who have installed all of the latest updates are not impacted

The use of the word "impacted" here is classic corpo-Pentagon-speak.

The correct word is "affected." For a person to be "impacted" has an entirely different meaning.

You'd think Microsoft would care about the distinction, since they are so full of shit.

Re:Don't mess with MS

[CaptCanuk]

"fuck" 13 times
"shit" 577 times
"BUGBUG" 7462 times

having your source code stolen and released on the net for others to read...
priceless.

But seriously, if i had the source (which i don't) and a whole bunch of free time, I'd go through it line by line and find all the errors and post up a patches page and send it over to Microsoft so that they could fix it. Too bad they don't have the balls to just say it's out in the open and ask the community to read it over and fix it for them :P I guess that's primarily because they don't have a strong community.

Re:I Dare You: +1, Patriotic

[Impie]

You forgot this line:

#include "bloatedregistry.h"

:-)

Re:Traders or Traitors?

[Anonymous Coward]

If Vegetarians like aninmals so much, why are they eating all their food?

Re:Can't take it back

[Planx_Constant]

Sure, I'll mod you up... whoops.

Nevermind.

Re:Don't mess with MS

[Stupid White Man]

"Don't mess with Microsoft, they have the money and the power to track you down, even on Internet and through P2P networks. And they will, this is just an example and a warning."

Let me know where you live. A couple friends of mine would like to go war-driving over by your place.

They'll download the code a couple dozen times, and then we can hear you bitching on /. about how microsoft tracked you down.

I should also mention that this statement "I will never download the source code and you should better not try too." Makes you sound like quite the pussy. Way to go "Zeux", I think I hear your mother calling.

taking

[AnonymousCowheart]

Taking something off of the internet, is like taking pee out of a swimming pool...

Once upon a time ...

[Heisenbug]

Once upon a time, people respected the law, and usually obeyed it. They respected police, and thanked them for doing a hard job and protecting the community.

Specifically, that was from 12:30 to 3:45 PM, October 24th, 1955.

Just in case anyone was curious.

Re:Don't mess with MS

[Eccles]

The sexual revolution was in the 60's, man. :-)
It died in the 80's.

It sure did for me, that's all I know...

Re:Web link to the source code

[dgmartin98]

BTW, I tried to include more of the source, but Slashdot complained "Too many junk characters." :-) I wonder if that's indicative of the true source.

Dave

Re:THAT IS PERFECT.

[Anonymous Coward]

Where they belong.

Re:THAT IS PERFECT.

[Anonymous Brave Guy]

Then, the MS legal department will send threatening letters to other MS departments.

Well, if it's good enough for Fox... ;-)

Re:Traders or Traitors?

[kyz]

The best part of all is that there's no cat.

Cool Funny Screenshot....

[linuxdawg]

http://members.lycos.co.uk/meye/The%20File.png

a letter

[Anonymous Coward]

Dear Bill,

You suck.

yours truly,
Cary

PS Wanna be my friend?

Re:I'm skeptical

[burns210]

yes, but on a p2p network, you search and download stuff you know damn well you don't have a legal right to. Atleast in the garage sale example, you have no way of knowing if it is stolen, and no reason to suspect it is stolen...

Re:Makes you think...

[Anonymous Coward]

john titor obviously brought it from the future.

wheres my cookie

Thanks MS

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm activey downloading the code right now (I'm at 70 of 240M). I don't mind doing a bit of jail time to look at the code. I'm just curious. Is that a crime?

Re:Can't take it back

[Anonymous Coward]

and steve balmer

developers...developers...developers...

Re:Traders or Traitors?

[dgatwood]

And it can't leap again until it has stopped some computer from working. And every hard drive it infects, its only hope is that its next leap will be the leap home....

Sounds like a good start for a mini-series....

It was the monkeys!

[lnjasdpppun]

An infinite number of monkeys at an infinite number of keyboards....

Re:I Dare You: +1, Patriotic

[xargoon]

Did you install the SDK before you tried to compile it?

Re:I'm skeptical

[flacco]

this is beautifully slash-zen: two diametrically opposed posts both modded "informative".

Re:Don't mess with MS

[FireBreathingDog]

Traceroute is your friend. Port scanning is your friend. Social Engineering will make you a new best friend at the ISP central office.

Dude, if those are your friends, you should take a break from recompiling the Linux kernel and get out a little ;-)

Re:kazaa, bittorrent, emule/edonkey?

[cerberusss]

Information wants to be free, remember?

No, "Information wants to be tied up and spanked." -- Faulty Dreamer on kuro5hin

Re:Wait.

[taernim]

Windows, eh?

Imagine a Beo-- what, too soon?