Linux source code leaked

Available across the internet

CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS (NeTw0rK) -- Today the source code for Linux, a popular operating system for servers, home computers, and embedded devices was leaked according to various staff and wire reports.

"We've seen source code leaked before," said MIT professor Dr. Tanya Chen, "but this code has spread across networks and between users on CD-Rs at a phenomenal rate."

Source code is a set of instructions written in a programming language such as C++ or Java. When run through a special type of program known as a compiler, the source code is turned into software a user can run.

NeTw0rK News found a copy of the source code and authenticated it with Linus Torvalds, the lead programmer of Linux. Torvalds said it was the real thing but refused to comment further.

The effects this will have on the Linux community are not yet known. With the full source code available, it's possible malicious users may find security flaws or a way to create a virus capable of infecting a machine running Linux.

Competition may also get a leg up on Linux by having the source available. While it would be illegal for a company to use the source in their own operating systems, the code could provide insight as to how key components work.

It may only be a matter of time before someone figures out how to use the source code selfishly now that it is so widely available,

"It's almost as if every Linux user has a copy of the source code," Dr. Chen told us.