There are many ways to access the source code of well-known technology companies, but legal and ethical boundaries need to be emphasized. The following are some possible methods (including legal and illegal methods), but it must be noted: **Unauthorized access, theft or dissemination of source code is illegal and may lead to serious consequences.**. --- ###**Legal way** 1. **Open source project** -Many companies (such as Google, Microsoft, Meta) open source some projects (such as Android, React, VS Code), and the code can be directly accessed through platforms such as GitHub. -Examples: Google's TensorFlow, Apache Foundation projects. 2. **Technical white papers and patents** -The company may disclose the algorithm or architecture design through patent documents or technical white papers, but usually does not provide the complete code. 3. **Academic cooperation and research** -Some companies cooperate with universities to develop technologies, and researchers may be exposed to limited code under authorization (such as school-enterprise cooperation in the field of autonomous driving). 4. **Vulnerability bounty program and security audit** -The company may provide part of the code or interface to security researchers for vulnerability mining (a non-disclosure agreement is required). 5. **Public documentation and debugging symbols** -Some development tools or SDKs may contain code fragments or debugging symbols (such as Microsoft's PDB files), but they are only for auxiliary development and not the complete source code. --- ###**Gray or illegal ways** 1. **Code hosting platform leaked** - The employee misconfigured the warehouse permissions (such as GitHub and GitLab are set to public), causing the code to be accidentally exposed. -Case: In 2020, Mercedes-Benz's internal code was leaked due to a configuration error. 2. **Reverse engineering** -Decompiling binary files or applications (such as using Ghidra, IDA Pro) may extract part of the code logic, but may violate user agreements or laws (such as DMCA). 3. **Supply chain attack** -Obtain access to the target company's code by invading third-party vendors (such as outsourced development teams, open source library maintainers). 4. **Internal personnel leakage** - Employees or partners violate confidentiality agreements and actively sell or share codes (such as former Apple employees stealing autonomous driving project codes in 2018). 5. **Cyber attacks and exploits** -Use unpaired vulnerabilities to invade the company's server or development environment (such as API vulnerabilities, unauthorized access). 6. **Legal proceedings or regulatory disclosure** -In patent litigation or antitrust investigations, the court may require the company to submit part of the code as evidence (usually not public). --- ###**Important reminder** -**Legal risks**: Illegal access to source code may violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), the Trade Secret Protection Act and other multinational laws, and face criminal charges and high compensation. -**Ethical responsibility**: Even if the code is obtained through technical means, unauthorized use may damage corporate innovation achievements and user privacy. -**Protection recommendations** (for enterprises)： -Strictly manage code warehouse permissions and audit logs regularly. -Use code obfuscation, encryption, and DRM technology. -Strengthen employee safety awareness training and sign confidentiality agreements. If you need to learn technology, it is recommended to obtain knowledge through open source projects, technical documents, and legal cooperation channels, rather than risking touching legal red lines.