Windows 10 source code leaked, potential threats could be worrisome

The leak contains files, from Microsoft's network, which are not supposed to be publicly visible.

Microsoft
Reuters

Microsoft has recently confirmed that a part of the source code of Windows 10 has been leaked on the Internet. The leak is quite concerning as it has exposed some software elements of the operating system, which is otherwise not visible to the public and it may pose a threat as hackers might get an opportunity to uncover and exploit the security vulnerabilities of Windows 10.

The Register first reported the leak and described the leaked documents as "a massive trove", which include codes for the USB and Wifi modules, the entire unreleased builds of Windows 10 and the Windows Server 2016. The UK tech site also claimed that the "trove" was stolen from Microsoft as recently as March.

However, many publications, such as The Verge, has contradicted the aforementioned view and said that the leak is rather minor. Most of the documents from the leaked data have already been circulated outside of Microsoft as part of code packages, which the company regularly shares with development partners and other customers.

Although, Fortune has reported that there is evidence that the leaked documents surfaced online via a hack of Microsoft's networks. Only in this week, two men were arrested from the UK accused of hacking Microsoft's network, while Ars Technica has received an unconfirmed yet worrisome report of hacking on Microsoft's network in March.

The files first surfaced on Beta Archive, a collection of abandoned or incomplete software, from where it has now been removed.

This article was first published on June 25, 2017
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