Microsoft to give governments access to Windows code

Associated Press / SFGate

[RCW2001]

HELEN JUNG, AP Business Writer
Tuesday, January 14, 2003
©2003 Associated Press

URL: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/01/14/financial2108EST0385.DTL

(01-14) 18:08 PST SEATTLE (AP) --

Microsoft Corp. said Tuesday it will make its prized source code for its Windows operating system available to several governments and governmental agencies, as it tries to stem defections to competitors' software.

The software company has already signed agreements with the Russian government and NATO to allow them to review for free the underlying programming instructions that Microsoft has long guarded as secret intellectual property.

The decision will let governments evaluate for themselves the security of the Windows platform, Microsoft said. It also will give them the technical data they need to develop their own secure applications to work atop Windows.

The announcement comes as government agencies in Japan, France, Germany, China and the United States are looking into or adopting competitors' software, including open-source Linux-based systems. Unlike Microsoft's proprietary software, the underlying code for open-source code software can be downloaded free, improved and redistributed.

"It's a brilliant maneuver," said Michael Gartenberg, research director for Jupiter Research. "It gives them a huge (public relations) win, gives them a response back to the open-source folks and also provides the impetus that many of the government organizations have been looking for to continue doing business with them."

The "Government Security Program" is similar to Microsoft's "shared-source" program, introduced in 2001, in which it makes some of its source code available on a limited basis to clients and technology partners.

Microsoft has a list of more than 60 countries and organizations with which it would consider signing agreements, including China, France and the United States, said Salah Dandan, the program's worldwide manager. The Redmond, Wash.-based company said it is confident governments will respect Microsoft's intellectual property and isn't worried about piracy or other infringements, he said.

"The basic business decision that we decided to make here is that Microsoft is willing to trust governments and willing to partner closely with them," Dandan said. "We are fully aware of the risks, but cognizant that this program will help strengthen relationships with governments around the world."

The program covers Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows CE and Windows Server 2003, due for release in April.

---

On the Net:

www.microsoft.com

©2003 Associated Press  

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[Bloody Sam Roberts]

The software company has already signed agreements with the Russian government and NATO to allow them to review for free the underlying programming instructions that Microsoft has long guarded as secret intellectual property.

It'll be on the internet, available for download in another 2 months.

Hurry and get your broadband connection now!

[potlatch]

Is this a GOOD thing??

[runningbear]

I hear Microsoft settled on the suit in Ca, of something in the figure of 5 billion dollars. Which means, that those entitled to the claim, will get about a $5.00 voucher....lol.. Guess who gets the rest of the mulla?
The attorneys! What a racket!

[rs79bm]

Microsoft to give governments access to Windows code

If I was the Government I wouldn't take it. Something may not work when you need it most.

[Barset]

Senator Daschle's first wife, Laurie Daschle Fulton, works for Williams and Connolly law firm in D.C., litigating for states suing Microsoft.

[Charlotte Corday]

This is probably the best thing that could happen to Microsoft corporate users who want to stay with MS. Once thousands of hackers get a chance to really pore through Windows (as you point out, that'll happen as soon as it hits those .ru domains) then the security holes will all come to light and the real fixes, as opposed to the bloated and inconclusive official "service packs", will start being generated by non-MS sources.

[TechJunkYard]

The decision will let governments evaluate for themselves the security of the Windows platform, Microsoft said.

I think it'd be great if a government programmer found some unchecked buffers...

"The basic business decision that we decided to make here is that Microsoft is willing to trust governments and willing to partner closely with them," Dandan said.

Well, I guess I could trust NATO.

[Karsus]

Serious Question. What do you think of this?

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

then the security holes will all come to light and the real fixes, as opposed to the bloated and inconclusive official "service packs", will start being generated by non-MS sources.

Unfortunately, what happens next is that MS refuses to provide support to any customer that has horked his box by using one of these fixes rather than their own bloated and inconclusive SPs.

[Imal]

One look at that bloated, obfuscated spaghetti code and government software engineers will burn a trail on the carpet as they run to Linux.

Oh, wait, they're already doing that!

[Bush2000]

Serious Question. What do you think of this?

I agree with Gartner on this one. It's a smart move.

[Spirited]

I figure that's how he bought off the dogs on the suit the gov't was bringing.

Who did not know this was going to happen?

[eno_]

You are right. Currently Microsoft really has NO strategy for dealing with Linux. Even this is a rearguard. Microsoft is very good at learning from mistakes, and once they figure out how to benefit from greater openness, they may develop a comprehensive approach to source code openness.

[An.American.Expatriate]

This was my initial thought even before reading the entire article. It has been "scary" enough having to worry about hackers & co discovering the holes. Now they (and several governments not exactly freindly to us as well as our own super snoopers) will have access to ALL of it.

I'm not sure I like that idea.

[thisiskubrick]

That doesn't mean that it won't be available, it just won't be available to the good guys (except for the governments). Terrorists, professional computer criminals, drug lords and rogue countries will have the source code, but everyday citizens won't.

That is a really good point! Hackers will have a much easier time writing exploits, gov't snoops will have an easier time spying on you. Agggh.... but the bright side is, uh, someone help me..

Also, the paranoiac in me doesn't trust CHINA with the Windows code. I wouldn't be surprised if they used it to develop software viruses as a potential weapon against western economies..

[thisiskubrick]

Microsoft's strategy against Linux is .NET.