Windows XP and Server 2003 compiled from leaked source code
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/windows-xp-and-server-2003-compiled-from-leaked-source-code/

A Windows developer has successfully compiled both Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 from source code leaked online last week.

Last week, a 43GB collection of Microsoft source code was released as a torrent on the 4chan forum.

After the source code was released, a Windows developer known as ‘NTDEV’ successfully compiled Windows XP from the leaked source code.

The Windows XP source code, though, was missing critical files, such as Winlogon.exe, which makes it impossible to install the operating system.

When it comes to the Windows server 2003 source code, NTDEV had more success and was able to compile the operating system and install it into a virtual machine.

It even used a Mac-like theme as a placeholder.

Microsoft is no stranger to Windows source code leaks, but a new incident might just provide insights into its history. Bleeping Computer and ZDNet report that a 4chan user has posted what’s believed to be source code for Windows XP Service Pack 1, Windows 2000, and Windows Server 2003. The files were circulating privately for years, according to the leaker, but are only becoming publicly available now — and they include some early work on Windows XP.

The Verge noted that the code includes multiple unreleased themes from XP’s early development (when it was nicknamed Whistler), including a theme that conspicuously imitates parts of Apple’s Aqua design language from OS X (now macOS). This seems to have been a placeholder for developing the theme engine and clearly never shipped, but it does highlight the fierce rivalry between Apple and Microsoft at a time when the tech industry was still computer-centric.

We’ve asked Microsoft for comment, although it already said it was “investigating the matter.” The Vergeclaimed the code was legitimate, with Ronin Dey and others also supporting those beliefs (via Windows Central).

One version of the code leak also includes code for MS DOS, Windows CE, Windows Embedded and Windows NT, although those aren’t believed to be new leaks.

Windows XP has been vulnerable for years, and this isn’t likely to make the situation worse.

Windows XP Source Code Leaks Online
Windows XP’s refusal to die has caused a multitude of security problems; Microsoft stopped officially providing updates to the operating system in 2014, meaning any vulnerabilities largely don’t get fixed on the millions of computers that still run it. The situation managed to get even worse this week, as Windows XP source code leaked on the file-sharing site Mega, troll forum 4Chan, and beyond. By combing through source code, hackers can identify potential weak points, making it easier to craft malware that Microsoft likely won’t bother defending its zombie OS against. Some reports indicate that the source code has circulated privately for some time now, which may blunt the impact of this wider release. Still, it’s not an encouraging development for anyone who hasn’t updated their PC in half a decade.