News

Sale of Microsoft Code Makes the Hacker Land up in a Jail

January 29, 2006

A convicted hacker, a man named ‘Ill Will” was sentenced to two years in prison after he was found to have sold the code or the software of the Window programs by Microsoft. Although the Windows programs by Microsoft is a closely guarded secret yet the hacker managed to sell it, though making just $40 from its sale.

William Genovese Jr., 29, pleaded guilty last year to one count of unlawful distribution of trade secrets for putting Microsoft's source code for its Windows 4.0 and Windows 2000 programs on his Web site and selling it.

Genovese already has a criminal background facing a number of criminal cases and out of these cases three are computer related crimes. Source code is an integral part for any software company because it is something on which the software programs are based.

Microsoft learned on Feb. 12, 2004 , that portions of the code were released on the Internet. That same day, Genovese offered the source code for sale on his Web site. He received a total of $40 for selling the code to Microsoft investigators.

Source: ComputerWorld