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32TB of Windows 10 internal builds, core source code leak online

theregister.co.uk

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Re: 32TB of Windows 10 internal builds, core source code leak online

#91
post #88
post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is that? You can break patents without ever knowing the patent existed. So looking at this code wouldn't trigger a new patent problem. And simply looking at some code, closing it, then later writing code that does the same functionality is not breaking copyright. So looking at this code would not trigger copyright.

Clean room reverse engineering. The idea that, if you build something with a specified interface (Windows API in this case) without prior knowledge of the implementation details, and you haven't broken any patents in doing so, then you haven't broken copyright either and you are free to do business. This is a gross oversimplification. See Intel vs AMD case for more details.

Clean room is a defense against copyright and not patent, AIUI. For patents it doesn't matter if you knew someone had patented it.

Not a lawyer, though, but a quick search confirms this.

Re: 32TB of Windows 10 internal builds, core source code leak online

#92
post #12
post #8

The unstripped binaries are a huge benefit for non-black-hat developers too.

Microsoft actually provides symbols for most windows components through its symbol server.

Public symbols, which aren't nearly as useful as private symbols.

Re: 32TB of Windows 10 internal builds, core source code leak online

#93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The private symbols in these builds could actually be very useful. The article alluded there were private symbols. So, even if only 1% of the overall windows code was leaked, if there were, say private symbols for the heap allocator of the kernel, for a practiced reverse engineer that is pure gold. Not as good as code, but a hell of a lot better than having to figure everything out and name functions and symbols them…

What kinds of private symbols aren't served by the symbol server?

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/de...

Re: 32TB of Windows 10 internal builds, core source code leak online

#94

Throwaway account for obvious reasons. Does anyone have a link to the leaked data? At this point avoiding links is pointless as the source code will be essentially public knowledge in matter of days/weeks. Damage control is the only strategy left. The sooner security researchers outside Microsoft can start analyzing and reporting vulnerabilities, the better.

Not understanding why this comment needs a throwaway account?

Maybe he doesn't actually want it to research purposes, and actually wants a quick and easy way to find it for other less noble purposes.

He never actually stated he wanted it for security, just left it easy to imply.

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