Andre Yoskowitz
23 Mar 2014 16:37
Ex-Microsoft software architect Alex Kibkalo has been arrested and is now facing criminal charges of leaking trade secrets.
Supposedly, the programmer received a poor performance review and thought it would be wise to get some payback on the Redmond giant by leaking Windows 8 code and screenshots to a French tech blogger. Additionally, he leaked some Windows 7 program files and an internal system to fight software piracy called the "Activation Server Software Development Kit."
Microsoft brought their concerns to the FBI in July, after their own corporate investigators tagged him as leaking the Windows 8 code. Kibkalo is said to have admitted giving the info to the blogger, after meeting in an online forum.
Kibkalo worked for Microsoft in Russia and Lebanon. The Activation Server SDK was spread around with the ultimate goal of having developers reverse engineer the code and easily crack the protection on Microsoft products. In September, 2012, the blogger sent the SDK to a Microsoft employee to have it verified for authenticity. The employee went right to a supervisor who notified corporate investigations.
Supposedly, the blogger tried to protect his identity using a new Hotmail account and fake details, but the investigators were able to find an email from Kibkalo in which there were links to Windows 8 code, well before the release of the operating system. The investigators were also able to recover IMs between the two. When the blogger noted that leaking the OS would be illegal, Kibkalo is alleged to have messaged "I know :)"