Ask HN: No evidence ever for Windows/iOS source leaks?

[goferito]

I've seen some talks of elite hackers defending Windows is a more secure OS over open source solutions because malware developers can't easily find vulnerabilities if they don't have access to the code.

I ask myself, has never been found evidence of governments/mafias to have copies of Windows/iOS source code?

[daddylonglegs]

Microsoft shares it's code with quite a few companies and governments:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/sharedsource/default.aspx

https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-opens-source-code-to...

A lot of Microsoft's code has also been leaked:

https://www.theregister.co.uk/AMP/2017/06/23/windows_10_leak...

I don't know what the situation is with iOS. How much is in common with Darwin?

[robin_reala]

Windows 2000 and NT source leaked through a source code availability program: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Interface_Source_Envir... . If that could happen then absolutely governments would have it.

The iOS kernel is based on Darwin which in macOS form is an open source project. It’s usually a bit out of date, but is available for download.

[goferito]

Then, defending Windows to be more secure for being close source makes no sense. Thanks!

[daddylonglegs]

I agree. I would argue that Microsoft have the worst of all worlds because on the one hand they share their code with intelligence agencies (including the FSB!) who seem to me to be inclined towards hoarding vulnerabilities for attack rather than getting them fixed upstream. On the other hand, much of their code has been leaked illegally; which makes it available to any and all black hat hackers but many law-abiding white hats will be constrained in their possible use of it. So everyone has the code except for the people who might report bugs/ fixes.