Ex-Microsoft Employee Arrested for Giving Out Windows 8 Code

[groundloop]

Source: ABC News

Leaked photos and prototypes aren’t uncommon in the tech world, but one ex-Microsoft employee may have taken it too far. Alex Kibkalo, a former software architect for the company, was arrested on Wednesday and faces federal charges of stealing trade secrets.

Kibkalo allegedly leaked code for both Windows 8 and a proprietary piece of piracy-combating software to a French technology blogger in 2012, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Microsoft officials have said that the leaks may have been Kibkalo’s reaction to a poor performance review from the company.

Company investigators reportedly recovered a chat exchange between Kibkalo and the unnamed blogger. When told by the blogger that the leaks would be “pretty illegal,” Kibkalo is said to have replied “I know ,” according to the Post-Intelligencer.

After receiving the code, the blogger forwarded it to a Microsoft employee to verify if it was real or not, investigators said. From there, it was passed on to a Microsoft executive and prompted them to look into the matter.

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2014/03/ex-microsoft-employee-arrested-for-giving-out-windows-8-code/

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Stupid stupid stupid. I'd never in my wildest dreams think of leaking my employers proprietary designs no matter how pissed I was at them.

[onehandle]

1. OH NO!!!!

Wait... Windows 8?

Yawn...

[PoliticAverse]

2. Windows 8, they can't even give it away... n/t

[groundloop]

4. Hah.... good point. Might be used in his defense.

"But Your Honor, I was simply trying to help Microsoft by getting some much needed publicity for Windows 8."

[dreamstst]

3. Would you want a black market copy of Windows 8?

What for? Maybe this was a sting. Notice: "After receiving the code, the blogger forwarded it to a Microsoft employee to verify if it was real or not, investigators said. From there, it was passed on to a Microsoft executive and prompted them to look into the matter."

[jsr]

5. The Pride and Jewel of Microsoft.

[jtuck004]

6. They should arrest the management responsible for releasing Window 8 in the first place.

It's a crime against humanity.

[Berlum]

7. iSmirk

[Sheepshank]

8. OK...I'm *going* there.....

"....I'd never in my wildest dreams think of leaking my employers proprietary designs no matter how pissed I was at them."

But then your name is not Snowden either.

[7962]

9. Oh no you DIDN'T!!

Now that you mention it, wonder what Snowden's performance evaluations were??
Since that appears to be this guys reason.

[Sheepshank]

10. Excellent point

now I wonder too.

could it really have started out this simply and it simply escalated to hell and back (unintended consequences)

[pragmatic_dem]

20. One thing about Snowden, he has never stooped to the low level of the apologist Yentas

with their gossip and childish behavior. And given he had at least TS clearance level and 6 figure salary, I suspect his performance was found to be satisfactory.

Can the same be said for yours?

[byronius]

11. Spreading Windows 8 period should be a severely punishable offense.

I still resent the twenty hours of rage and frustration it imposed on my life. I'll never get that time back.

Worst operating system ever.

[groundloop]

12. Worse than Vista?

[byronius]

13. I can't say -- I managed to dodge that bullet.

But the mention of 8 brings up violent feelings. I still want to punch the project lead in the face.

[jtuck004]

14. Whichever it is, the lesser evil is still evil. <G>

[rpannier]

17. Vista was worse

I've used both
Vista was much, much worse

[awoke_in_2003]

22. Vista wasn't bad...

ME, on the other hand, was the worst OS ever.

[phantom power]

15. If they went open source, they wouldn't have to worry about keeping their lame code secret

I'm not sayin, I'm just sayin.

[PoliticAverse]

16. If you were involved in writing Windows 8, wouldn't you want to keep it secret?... n/t

[Heywood J]

18. No bail? What did he do, kill someone with it? (NT)

[cosmicone]

19. he will be fined $100,000,000

$10,000 in commercial damage and $99;990,000 for embarrassing microsoft to the point of ridicule.

[Timez Squarez]

21. I *actually* looked at my dad's stocks this morning..

and he only has 500 shares of MSFT...

I want to unload it and get something that'll beat the pants out of MSFT but APL stocks are worth gold.

(and yes, he has shares in Wal-Fart that I'm planning to dump as soon as possible when I have control)

[area51]

23. Must keep warm.