Hackers wanted $50,000 to keep Symantec source code private

Concerned User · 07. Feb 2012, 11:18 AM

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-573...-code-private/

Quote:

Update at 9:15 p.m.: A 1.2GB file labeled "Symantec's pcAnywhere Leaked Source Code" has been posted to The Pirate Bay. We have asked Symantec whether this code is authentic and will update when we hear back.

Wonder how the source code got leaked out in the first place? Perhaps plain carelessness?

eyeb · 07. Feb 2012, 04:55 PM

they hacked symantec a while back for the source code, it made the news for about a day when it happened

but the way i see it, the hackers just became pirates by demanding money, and means that they'll splinter and not trust/work together as well :S

can't call them terrorists yet, but cyber-pirates seem to be a good term since they are heading towards greed :S
terrorists seem to imply a political drive and not just anyone the government doesn't like lol, a bank robber isn't a terrorist until it hits a federal reserve, and a murderer isn't one until the someone with political ties dies to call them one

MidnightCowboy · 07. Feb 2012, 05:59 PM

I see this as a positive thing. Maybe Norton software will become worth having once the open community have been able to improve it

eyeb · 07. Feb 2012, 10:28 PM

yeah but the source code if it is same as the one from a december is a few years old and not really worth much :S

hence the hackers probably couldn't learn anything from it and just doing this as a last ditch effort to stick it to norton :S

Remah · 07. Feb 2012, 11:59 PM

The thread title is a bit misleading. The article says that Symantec initiated this not the hackers. Symantec offered the money in an attempt to get the source code destroyed.

Naturally, it all fell apart. Symantec couldn't confirm the source code destruction without the hackers having to reveal too much.

J_L · 08. Feb 2012, 01:34 AM

As long as they increase their security, that should trickle down to better end-user programs.

soadd · 24. Feb 2012, 02:59 PM

I had no idea that pcAnywhere was even on the market anymore. I remember using it a very long time ago, maybe around 10-9 years ago. But it's probably Symatec's fault, they should've fixed the problem back in 2006 when they first had to deal with it. But I guess there are other alternatives..RDP works very good for example. And I keep hearing about Audials Anywhere lately..any idea if there is come connection or something? Do they function the same? I'd be curious to try out something new, from what I heard, this last soft is supposed to be a new alternative to file sharing and apparently streaming.

07. Feb 2012, 05:59 PM	#3 (permalink)
MidnightCowboy Site Manager Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: South American Banana Republic, third bunch from the left Posts: 11,181	I see this as a positive thing. Maybe Norton software will become worth having once the open community have been able to improve it __________________ Knows nothing and cares even less

07. Feb 2012, 11:59 PM	#5 (permalink)
Remah Editor Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: New Zealand Posts: 638	The thread title is a bit misleading. The article says that Symantec initiated this not the hackers. Symantec offered the money in an attempt to get the source code destroyed. Naturally, it all fell apart. Symantec couldn't confirm the source code destruction without the hackers having to reveal too much. __________________ Better to light a candle ... than to curse the darkness.

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07. Feb 2012, 04:55 PM	#2 (permalink)
eyeb Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Planet X Posts: 680	they hacked symantec a while back for the source code, it made the news for about a day when it happened but the way i see it, the hackers just became pirates by demanding money, and means that they'll splinter and not trust/work together as well :S can't call them terrorists yet, but cyber-pirates seem to be a good term since they are heading towards greed :S terrorists seem to imply a political drive and not just anyone the government doesn't like lol, a bank robber isn't a terrorist until it hits a federal reserve, and a murderer isn't one until the someone with political ties dies to call them one

07. Feb 2012, 10:28 PM	#4 (permalink)
eyeb Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Planet X Posts: 680	yeah but the source code if it is same as the one from a december is a few years old and not really worth much :S hence the hackers probably couldn't learn anything from it and just doing this as a last ditch effort to stick it to norton :S

08. Feb 2012, 01:34 AM	#6 (permalink)
J_L Co-Author, Best Free Security List Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 1,562	As long as they increase their security, that should trickle down to better end-user programs.

24. Feb 2012, 02:59 PM	#7 (permalink)
soadd Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 0	I had no idea that pcAnywhere was even on the market anymore. I remember using it a very long time ago, maybe around 10-9 years ago. But it's probably Symatec's fault, they should've fixed the problem back in 2006 when they first had to deal with it. But I guess there are other alternatives..RDP works very good for example. And I keep hearing about Audials Anywhere lately..any idea if there is come connection or something? Do they function the same? I'd be curious to try out something new, from what I heard, this last soft is supposed to be a new alternative to file sharing and apparently streaming.