Target: Microsoft Case Study on Target

The case study highlights how the initial steps to the security breach were based on some details from a case study on Target and it's systems on the Microsoft website.

What are your thoughts on companies providing details about their IT infra structure for case studies to be used as references in the industry (presumably what Microsoft was doing) or even for purely academic purposes?

Do you believe that this case study alone , or not having it available, could have prevented the security breach?

Please provide some details and explain why you think one way or the other.