Hacker blackmails Symantec – threatens to release Norton source code

16 Jan 2012

A hacker is threatening security player Symantec with plans to release the entire source code for Norton Antivirus.

In a Twitter post, the hacker, calling himself Yama Tough and with an avatar suggesting links to Anonymous said: “This comming tuesday behold the full Norton Antivirus 1,7Gb src, the rest will follow…”

The hacker is understood to have released fragments of the source code over the past week along with emails.

It is understood the hacker broke into Indian government servers and got his or her hands on the source code.

Symantec is understood to have given its source code to Indian authorities who were inspecting it ahead of a decision to deploy the software.

After inspecting the software, officials left the source code on government servers which were subsequently attacked.

tough talk

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com