Where Do Today's Hackers Want to Go? Microsoft

By Chris Taylor/San Francisco

The fallout from last week's hack attack on Microsoft just gets more embarrassing for BILL GATES & Co., especially given the part played by the company's software. The unidentified intruders were able to root around inside Microsoft's network for six weeks, steal passwords and sneak looks at the vital source code for future (not current) products, using a Trojan-horse virus called QAZ that's written in a Microsoft programming language (Visual C++). The pilfered passwords were sent to an e-mail address registered in St. Petersburg, Russia, through Hotmail--another Microsoft service. Even worse, Vincent Gullotto, head of the antivirus emergency-response team at security site McAfee.com claims he warned Microsoft of the "medium risk" virus three months ago. "Hackers hit Microsoft every day," says Gullotto. "It's the company virus writers love to hate." Which, if nothing else, gives the FBI plenty of suspects.

--By Chris Taylor/San Francisco