Now some of Microsoft's closely guarded source code is floating freely on the Web, at least some of Windows made open-source, albeit illegally. Whatever Microsoft's investigation of the leak turns up, it's a sure bet that hackers, many of whom claim only to want to learn programming technology are already on the case. Should attacks flow from revelations in the leaked code, look for Microsoft to remind us that such risks were why it kept the source code secret in the first place. . . .
While the security implications and ramifications of the leaked source code for Windows 2000 and NT are not yet apparent, clearly they reach beyond Microsoft itself. They may, if the code contains secrets that hackers can exploit and reach into every machine running those systems.

With its immense customer base already angry over Microsoft's lengthy patch process, the company now has to worry if those customers face new vulnerabilities derived from the source-code distribution. Further, customer concern over known operating system holes was heightened with last week's announcement of major new Windows and Internet Explorer security flaws.

Those particular flaws had only been--belatedly--admitted to by Microsoft when their discoverer, eEye Digital Security, announced awareness of even more extant vulnerabilities.

Unsurprisingly, within days of the announcement, the first hacker exploit code began circulating.

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