Hackers Often Accidentally Send Code to Microsoft
A Microsoft Security official has revealed that hackers often send their code to Redmond by accident.
Anyone who's ever had a computer crash on them will be familiar with the pop-up that asks you to send details of the problem to Microsoft. You don't have to fill in any boxes, or explain the problem yourself – it's just a case of clicking 'send' or 'don't send'. However, did you know that hackers developing code like to send the details of their crashes to Microsoft, too?
At last weeks' TechEd conference in Australia, one of Microsoft's senior security architects revealed that hackers who crash their systems sometimes don't hesitate to click the 'send' button when faced with the error report pop-up. The result is that they often end up sending Microsoft details of whatever malicious code they happened to have been working on before their computer crashed.
"People have sent us their virus code when they're trying to develop their virus and they keep crashing their systems," Rocky Heckman said. "It's amazing how much stuff we get."
Heckman also revealed just how much hackers target Microsoft.
"The first thing [script kiddies] do is fire off all these attacks at Microsoft.com," ZDNet quotes him as saying during the conference. "On average we get attacked between 7000 and 9000 times per second at Microsoft.com," said the senior security architect.
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Whoa, that's pretty amazing. It's also hilarious.
7000 to 9000 times per second? Holy balls
Lamers lol
Epic fail! You don't attack a tank with a BB gun!
8000 per second
480,000 per minute
28,000,000 per hour
691,200,000 per day
Wow. they dont have a life...
MS is too old a cat to be scratched by a kitten.
It's OVER 9000... Anyways, poor MS. They have money, but it is a shame that the hackers force them to spend a small amount on the website, rather than the actual products.
Small, but still there.
Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam
8000 per second480,000 per minute28,000,000 per hour691,200,000 per dayWow. they dont have a life...
And you do? lol.
It's OVER 9000... Anyways, poor MS. They have money, but it is a shame that the hackers force them to spend a small amount on the website, rather than the actual products.Small, but still there.
no it's UNDER 9000.
7000-9000 to be precise.
I'm not that familiar with coding. But surely one physical execution of an attack code unleashes multiple attempts (hacks) sequentially . So that's not to say 9000 people are attacking them. MS is a big target. And when you are that big, you will catch a lot of rounds.
But why? Who would want to attack good ol' Microsoft? Oh wait, maybe all existing Xbox Live members after the recent increase in price... Suckers.
Its pretty ironic that a senior security analyst for Microsoft has the name Hackman...
so tomshardware should be attacked more often... because this site is more important to me!
Its pretty ironic that a senior security analyst for Microsoft has the name Hackman...
Heckman.
Heckman.
Even if it was 'Hackman' many people in the security field today are people who were well known for hacking, and hence got several job requests because of their obvious skills. Granted it wouldn't make for a very good public image, but it seems like people at MS do what they want. Cough *Ballmer* Cough
Lol such noobs only an idiot would build scripts and other code on their main machines instead of using a junker to develop the code on. Once done find an unprotected connection to upload the package and grab a mountain dew then kick back and watch the show. Think new and far outside the box for something that keeps them on their feet. The only way to make them earn a few nickles that you spent on games for your x360 and bloatware for your Mac/PC.
Script kiddies! Makes me chuckle.
7000 to 9000 times per second? That's a lot of Russians!
"People have sent us their virus code when they're trying to develop their virus and they keep crashing their systems," Rocky Heckman said. "It's amazing how much stuff we get."
that needs to be fixed, MS should just have code built into the OS where they can just lock out any microsoft specific MS software (MS-OS/MS-games/MS-office) that the hacker is using and a following pop up should appear when that happens to " please contact microsoft at ph# 1-888..."
and while the jerk is trying to get their software unlocked on the phone have the local authorities swing by and pick up the jerk and his comp for and nail the guy to the wall for breaking the lisc. agreement for starters, just to make it legal while they question the jerk & search the jerk's comp for evidence. it would certainly fix all the noobs and cut down on the problem probably by 1/2, more important it would leave a record of who does what and a way to track them down if they continue that bad behaviour later on. rather big brotherish, but talk to president hoover about it, 'cuz that's how the FBI rolls and other countries are alot worse. code writing is very descriptive, just as any ones finger prints are, what we say and how we say it/do it in writing things down is pretty identifiable to the trained eye. the FBI already uses computer software to track down key phrasing in letters and email, adapting it to code reading would make things easier.
i know there's going to be alot of hate comming for saying this, but 'MALICIOUS hackers' are just slightly below murderer's and pedo's in my book. hacker's that mess with things just to see how they work and fix something to work, or work better; aren't a dangerous problem, but the ones that mess with monentary accounts or say jack up the power grid or military stuff.....GGRRRRRrrrr!
The matrix has us all. lol
IT's OVER 9000!!!!!!
The bigger story here is that MS actually looks at the reports
As long a clippy doesn't ask me if he can help me write my worm.
The title should be changed to "Hackers Use To Send Code to Microsoft". What kind of idiot lets this info out. Its like cops telling drug dealers that their phone is tapped.
Hence there came to existence Microsoft Security Essentials that actually works decently enough since they get fresh out of oven info...
I wonder what the attack stats are on Google?
Holy crap that's a lot.
I know it's everywhere but I just can't get past that picture in blue....effing hilarious!
That makes microsoft lots of codes to worked on.
This disproves the misconception that hackers are inherently smart. Writing in code is like speaking a different language. And if there's anything I've learned from the internet, it's that idiocy is global