Okay, deep breath, let's get this over with. In the grand act of digital self-sabotage, we've littered this site with cookies. Yep, we did that. Why? So your highness can have a 'premium' experience or whatever. These traitorous cookies hide in your browser, eagerly waiting to welcome you back like a guilty dog that's just chewed your favorite shoe. And, if that's not enough, they also tattle on which parts of our sad little corner of the web you obsess over. Feels dirty, doesn't it?
Microsoft’s Obfuscation Fiasco: From Malicious Accusations to Apologies on the Visual Studio Marketplace
Microsoft reinstated the ‘Material Theme’ and ‘Material Theme Icons’ extensions on Visual Studio Marketplace, after mistakenly labeling them as malicious. Turns out, the only thing criminal was the speed of their initial decision-making. The extensions are now back, and Microsoft promises to update its policy on obfuscated code.
Hot Take:
In a classic case of “Oops, my bad,” Microsoft pulled a fast one, mistaking some old, dusty code for a high-tech heist. Who knew the real threat was an outdated dependency and not a sinister hacker lurking in the shadows? Maybe next time, they’ll check the “Are you sure?” box before hitting delete.
Key Points:
- Microsoft mistakenly flagged and removed popular VSCode extensions for allegedly containing malicious code.
- The extensions had over 9 million installs and were pulled due to obfuscated code concerns.
- Publisher Mattia Astorino claimed the issue was from an outdated dependency, not malicious intent.
- Microsoft has apologized and reinstated the extensions, promising policy updates for future obfuscation evaluations.
- Researchers maintain the code was suspicious but agree there was no harmful intent by the publisher.
Already a member? Log in here