Report: Code exploit cost Microsoft $1.2 million

By Brenna Hillier

A code-generating site has reportedly cost Microsoft $1.2 million in illicit MS Points.

A website created this week allowed visitors to generate Microsoft voucher codes, which could then be redeemed for 1600 MS Points and individual Marketplace items.

Refreshing the site continually produced codes, the vast majority of which turned out to be valid.

Clever clogs quickly discovered ways to automate the code retrieval process, rapidly scoring tens of thousands of MS Points and eventually bringing the site to its knees with the demand.

Microsoft shut the exploit down within hours, but Save & Quit reports the astounding figure of $1.2 million in lost codes.

Thanks, D’toid.