Windows XP, Microsoft’s ancient operating system that still powers more than 1% of all laptops and desktop computers globally has reportedly had its source code leaked online along with Windows Server 2003.
The 19-year old operating system had its source code published as a torrent file on notorious bulletin board website 4chan making it the first time the operating system has had its source code leaked to the public.
Different reports give the impression that the collection of the torrent file which weighs about 43GB also includes the source code for Windows Server 2003 in addition to several other older operating systems of Microsoft.
These other operating systems include Windows 2000, Windows CE 3, Windows CE 4, Windows CE 5, Windows Embedded 7, Windows Embedded CE, Windows NT 3.5, Windows NT 4, MS-DOS 3.3, and MS-DOS 6.0.
The torrent file also allegedly contains source code for several Windows 10 components that became visible in 2017 and source code for the initial operating system of the original Xbox that was in circulation online in May.
Microsoft has not officially released a statement to confirm or deny the leak, however, different security researchers have begun to independently analyze the source code and have confirmed its legitimacy.
The leaker, under the name billgates3, claims to have carried out the compilation of the leaked Microsoft source code in the course of the last few months.
He also said that hackers have passed many Microsoft OS source code between themselves for several years, so he decided to make the source code public since “information should be free and accessible to everyone”.
He also added that since the company claims to love open source, so he felt they will appreciate how open this source code has become now that it is available to the public on PostTorrent.
Microsoft has been known to provide its operating system source code to governments globally through a special Government Security Program (GSP) that gives governments and organizations controlled access to the source code. In lieu of this, the leak should not come as a surprise to the company.
The torrent file is also said to contain conspiracy theories revolving around Bill Gates in a media folder that includes files and videos. This file could be incriminating to Bill Gates and the entire Microsoft organization.
