In what could be a major intellectual property (IP) infringement disaster, the source code of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 operating system has leaked. While the investigation is on, the source code of different versions of the Windows XP operating system is available publicly on various file sharing sites including 4chan.
Windows XP source code leak online
This may not be the first time the source of Windows XP has leaked. If reports are to believe, the source code of Windows XP is being distributed privately for years, but never like this. That said, this is probably the first time the source code of Windows XP has leaked in the form of torrent files on such a massive scale.
Here’s what happened
According to reports, someone dumped 43GB of Microsoft source code as torrent files on 4chan, an anonymous forum site. Here’s the full list of leaked material on 4chan:
- Windows XP
- Windows Server 2003
- MS-DOS 3.30
- MS-DOS 6.0
- Windows 2000
- Windows CE 3
- Windows CE 4
- Windows CE 5
- Windows Embedded 7
- Windows Embedded CE
- Windows NT 3.5
- Windows NT 4
The leaked source of Windows XP and other versions of the operating system is unlikely to pose any security threat to organizations with Windows XP machines.
Microsoft appears to be investigating the matter.
It’s been six years now since Microsoft officially pulled the plug on support for the Windows XP operating system. Despite that, the company had to respond to the 2017 WannaCry malware attack, courtesy of an unconventional Windows XP security patch.
Back in 2017, the source code of Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating system was leaked online. As part of the leak, someone dumped files related to Microsoft’s USB, storage, and Wi-Fi drivers in Windows 10 on Beta Archive.
In May, Microsoft’s private GitHub repositories became subject to massive data theft. In this attack, a hacker reportedly gained unrestricted access to the company’s private GitHub repositories and managed to steal more than 500GB of data.
