May 20, 2002

Microsoft: We can't release code because of National Security

Yet another reason why infrastructure should be as open as possible, eWeek goes over last week's Microsoft's testimony where Microsoft VP Jim Allchin tried to explain to the court that Microsoft should be allowed to keep certain APIs secret because they are so vulnerable that disclosing them would constitute a threat to National Security, incluiding issues in its digital rights management systems, and an enterprise system called Message Queueing. To quote from the article:

When pressed for further details, Allchin said he did not want to offer specifics because Microsoft is trying to work on its reputation regarding security. "The fact that I even mentioned the Message Queuing thing bothers me," he said.

The mind boggles. So Microsoft's screw-up will be an acceptable defense to keep its protocols secret? Wow. If this isn't one of the mist Alice-in-wonderland turns in recent memory, I can't think of many better ones. Perhaps it would only be stranger if the judge actually bought the argument, I suppose.

It's as if asprin could actually be turned into poison if it was taken while a particular high-pitched tone was sounded, but the asprin manufacturers used the fact that asprin is a part of the Army's standard medical kit, and that if they had to disclose the frequency of the sound, it would put our military at risk. Rather than just FIXING THE PROBLEM, of course. Posted by dsifry at May 20, 2002 5:55 PM | View blog reactions