News summary
Microsoft source-code leak;
Gigabyte arrested;
Israelis, Egyptians and Trojans;
weddings delayed in Thailand.
The concept of security through obscurity has never had a great
following - not even Microsoft appears to be a particularly big
advocate. However, the weaknesses of
keeping your software secure by not showing people the source
are further compounded when someone comes along and rips off
the carapace of secrecy - as happened on Friday, when large
portions of Windows source-code became available, illegally,
online.
News sources were quick to point out what a great opportunity
this would be for hackers, crackers, and all sorts of other
cyber-bogey-men. It won't, however, be a great opportunity for
the ever-so-slightly famous virus writer 'Gigabyte',
who was arrested last week - her five computers
were confiscated, and she was charged with 'computer data sabotage'
- if convicted, she faces up to three years in prison and a fine of about
£70,000. Some might say that it serves her right for
shameless self-promotion.
IsraelNationalNews is carefully stepping around making
the direct
accusation that Egyptian scientists put a Trojan-horse component
in the anti-ballistic missile software that the Israelis are
developing with American cooperation. Slightly happier relationships were
also interfered with by viruses on Saturday, when an infection of computer
systems in Phitsanulok province, Thailand,
caused the delay
of 'hundreds' of Valentine's day marriages.
16 February 2004
Tags:
virus
del.icio.us 
digg this
