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IE Gets Blame for Theft of Half-Life 2 Source Code

edited October 2003 in Science & Tech
Security experts are blaming known but unpatched vulnerabilities in Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer for the theft and distribution of the source code for a much anticipated new video game.

The source code for Valve Corp.'s Half Life 2, a sequel to the popular shoot-'em-up game that was due out by December, was posted on the Internet on Thursday, according to a statement from Valve Managing Director Gabe Newell.

The theft of the code, which was made available for download on the Net, came after a monthlong concerted effort by hackers to infiltrate Valve's network. Malicious activity in the Valve network included denial-of-service attacks, suspicious e-mail activity and the installation of keystroke loggers, Newell added.

This theft is only one item on a long list of security-related problems for the Redmond, Wash. software maker this week. Other happenings included the discovery of more security flaws in Internet Explorer and the filing of a class-action lawsuit against Microsoft over such vulnerabilities in both applications and system software. And the company was also stung by a recent report arguing that the dominance of Windows is a hindrance to computing security.

Read the full article over @ [link=http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,4149,1307526,00.asp]EWeek.com[/link]

Comments

  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited October 2003
    Security experts are blaming known but unpatched vulnerabilities in Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer for the theft and distribution of the source code for a much anticipated new video game.

    ROFL ;D;D

    Figures
  • panzerkwpanzerkw New York City
    edited October 2003
    blame everybody but themselves, hmm. How convenient to throw the fault on poor Internet Explorer. I would have thought the gurus at Valve knew a little better.
  • TemplarTemplar You first.
    edited October 2003
    Valve didn't say that :\
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    Quick! Let's be stupid and point to the OS with one of the highest security ratings of all desktop OSes!
  • pseudonympseudonym Michigan Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    RABBLE!!!!! RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE!!!!
  • Omega65Omega65 Philadelphia, Pa
    edited October 2003
    Thrax said
    Quick! Let's be stupid and point to the OS with one of the highest security ratings of all desktop OSes!

    Microsoft! They're the Cream of the Crap!

    AFAIK - Use the OS and nothing else......

    Netscape For Life! ;D
  • Al_CapownAl_Capown Indiana
    edited October 2003
    I'm sure they didn't say OMG STUPID MICROSOFT WAY TO GO YOU IDIOTS!!! I'm sure they just explained how the hackers were able to get onto the computer.
  • DanGDanG I AM CANADIAN Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    known but unpatched

    Right there, they prove they are dumbasses.
  • celchocelcho Tallahassee, FL Member
    edited October 2003
    why the hell is it going to delay the game by several months because some people go the source code? i guess they have to change stuff to make it harder to hack based on the source code that is leaked, but the just need to higher a few extra people to just get the damn thing done.

    i'm sick of waiting. i was so pumped that in the very near future i would be playing hl2... but nooo...
  • TemplarTemplar You first.
    edited October 2003
    celcho said
    why the hell is it going to delay the game by several months because some people go the source code? i guess they have to change stuff to make it harder to hack based on the source code that is leaked, but the just need to higher a few extra people to just get the damn thing done.

    i'm sick of waiting. i was so pumped that in the very near future i would be playing hl2... but nooo...

    They are rewriting the code that was stolen. That's no easy task. It was over 136MB of TEXT. That's a lot, and only a third of the game. That's Valve's official statement anyway. How they compiled a game with multiplayer and singleplayer is beyond me if the above is true. I don't think any of us want Counter-strike^20 in terms of cheaters. It's like having a girlfriend nude on the beach and not expecting anyone to look. Valve's in trouble. This hasn't happened before, so we really can't predict what's going to happen to the game after it's release, unless they rewrite the code in some form.
  • SlickSlick Upstate New York
    edited October 2003
    I think it is all a big conspiracy. Valve put it there to bring attention to the game just like the "leaked" pictures we saw a few months ago.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited October 2003
    Additionally, if the leaker of the working beta is correct, not lying, then the 1.4GB beta is all that valve has. Grossly unfinished, buggy as hell, and requiring 5+ months of work.

    April anyone?
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