3 ms·
See "Microsoft Government Security Program".
by _mgr 11y ago
See "Microsoft Government Security Program".
- scholia 11y agoPresumably the point being that the Russian government (like many others) has access to Windows source code. Well, we know they have XP and Windows 7. I don't know about Windows 10, but that seems less likely at this stage.
- nobullet 11y agoDon't overestimate them. I don't believe MS or US government would give access to source code to anybody with "alternative" world insight. It's like to give access to source code to N. Korea.
- ommunist 11y agoWell, for Win 7 MS had a "special co-operation agreement" with the modern Russian analog of the KGB agency, and disclosed Win 7 OS source code in full. There also was co-operation around Win 8 http://www.gazeta.ru/business/2011/12/01/3854510.shtml http://www.gazeta.ru/business/2011/12/01/3854510.shtml, but not around Skype sources.
- scholia 11y agoNot sure what your point is. Also, not sure why my factual comment has been downvoted. (Is this reddit?) However, there is no shortage of info for anyone who knows how to use Google. To quote Computer Weekly: An agreement signed in 2002 gave Russia access to the source code for Windows XP, 2000 and Server 2000. Under the latest agreement, Russia will gain access to the source code for Windows 7, Server 2008 R2, SQL Server and Office 2010. http://www.computerweekly.com/news/1280093257/Microsoft-shares-source-code-with-Russian-government http://www.computerweekly.com/news/1280093257/Microsoft-shar... It's part of Microsoft's Shared Source Initiative http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/sharedsource/default.aspx http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/sharedsource/default.aspx All governmental requests (whether from local, state, provincial, or national governments or agencies) for access to Microsoft product source code must be directed to the Government Security Program Team. They can be contacted at gspteam@microsoft.com http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/sharedsource/government-security-program.aspx http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/sharedsource/government-secur...
- MichaelGG 11y agoGetting access to Microsoft source code isn't that hard. As an MS MVP, I had access to it. (Rather useful for debugging stuff.) Smart card and remote viewer is how they did it for me. Russia certainly has access. Plus it simply cannot be hard for Russia to get it via extralegal means. Field some great programmers, have them get hired. If intelligence agencies aren't doing this to most companies then they're just incompetent.
- scholia 11y agoThanks for the confirmation: MVPs can gert source under the same Shared Source Initiative (Part 3). I thought reasonably informed people already knew this. I'm a bit surprised to find this level of ignorance on HN....