The break-in was discovered Wednesday by Microsoft's security employees after they detected passwords being remotely sent to an e-mail account in St. Petersburg, Russia. Microsoft, of Redmond, Wash., interpreted electronic logs as showing that those internal passwords were used to transfer source code -- software blueprints -- outside the Microsoft campus.
A Microsoft spokesman confirmed that, "we recently became aware of a hack to our corporate network. Microsoft is moving aggressively to isolate the problem and ensure the security of our internal network." He added: "We are confident that the integrity of Microsoft source code remains secure." He declined to comment further.
Microsoft initially sought to investigate the break-in itself but decided Thursday to contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The electronic burglary is an embarrassment for Microsoft, among the world's most powerful companies and a favorite target of hackers, who deride the security components that Microsoft builds into its software products.
Computer security at Microsoft's campus generally was well-regarded until this latest incident. Microsoft was checking to ensure that the hackers didn't alter some of the company's commercial software, which is used by corporations, governments and consumers around the globe. The hackers, whose identities are unknown, are believed to have had access to the codes for three months.
Source: The Wall Street Journal