The NSA Has Been Working with Microsoft on Windows 7 Security

[snowdrift]

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/nsa_has_been_working_microsoft_windows_7_security

[ronjor]

And others as well. NSA helps Apple, Sun and Red Hat harden their systems (http://www.h-online.com/security/news/item/NSA-helps-Apple-Sun-and-Red-Hat-harden-their-systems-863889.html)

[ragnarok2012]

I'm happy to see that the NSA has helped thwart the next upcoming Cyber attacks.

I hope that they are just as diligent as they were in the past to NOT KILL BEN LADEN (they had him in their cross hairs FIVE TIMES!!!). They knew that oil prices would climb to 6 to 7 dollars a gallon if they killed him. I'm happy that they kept a good eye on the economy as they did.

This makes me sleep soundly.

Cyber attacks I can handle (just reinstall or re-image.)

On the other hand $6 dollar a gallon gas is beyond my capabilities!!!

[Nebulus]

What worries me more is that Microsoft seem to need help for securing their OS every time, and that they can't do it on their own...

[JRViejo]

Microsoft denies it built 'backdoor' in Windows 7 (http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9141182/Microsoft_denies_it_built_backdoor_in_Windows_7)-{ Quote: "
Microsoft today denied that it has built a backdoor into Windows 7, a concern that surfaced yesterday after a senior National Security Agency (NSA) official testified before Congress that the agency had worked on the operating system." }-

[lordpake]

-{ Quote: "What worries me more is that Microsoft seem to need help for securing their OS every time, and that they can't do it on their own..." }-

That's not really that surprising. Anyone deeply involved in something gets tunnel vision easily. They got locked in in their own views and ways of doing things.

Usually it takes an outsider to point out mistakes (even simple ones) and flaws.

I noticed similar happening while doing my own thesis :) I needed someone to point out my mistakes and needed someone who wasn't thinking inside the box I had created for myself.

Why would any big enterprise function differently? I mean they are humans after all.

[noone_particular]

-{ Quote: "Microsoft today denied that it has built a backdoor into Windows 7, a concern that surfaced yesterday after a senior National Security Agency (NSA) official testified before Congress that the agency had worked on the operating system." }-
Of course they denied it. Would you expect them to say anything different, even if it was true?

[lordpake]

-{ Quote: "Of course they denied it. Would you expect them to say anything different, even if it was true?" }-
Considering the ramifications of them lying and getting caught doing so, yes I'd expect them to tell the truth :)

U.S. Government is not their only customer. MS has worldwide business, losing trust from other governments and corporations because of built-in backdoors would be quite damaging.

[Fly]

-{ Quote: "Considering the ramifications of them lying and getting caught doing so, yes I'd expect them to tell the truth :)

U.S. Government is not their only customer. MS has worldwide business, losing trust from other governments and corporations because of built-in backdoors would be quite damaging." }-

I've been considering switching to Windows 7.
Security and privacy issues make me hesitate.

'That the U.S. government is not their only customer' is far from convincing.
If they have 'plausible deniability' it's not much of an issue.
A backdoor could be disguised as something else, there can be deliberately created (and well-hidden) vulnerabilities that could be used to break into a computer, etc.

Vista has DRM, I presume the same goes for Windows 7. I find that invasive.

During the beta telemetry data was sent to Microsoft. Has that stopped ?

I just have difficulty believing there is no backdoor or backdoor-like feature in Windows 7. Given the benefits, why wouldn't they do it ? :blink:

I probably can't stick to Windows XP forever.

[chronomatic]

The NSA (and some private institutions) back in the early 90's began working on a mandatory access control (multi level security) system for the Mach microkernel. Later, this project became known as FLASK. (http://www.cs.utah.edu/flux/fluke/html/flask.html) It was the first implementation of their "Type Enforcement" technology.

By 2000, the funding dried up and the NSA didn't want development to stop, so they released the source code to the public and licensed it under the GPL (which blew a lot of people's minds). The FLOSS community (mainly Linux hackers) picked up the code and ported it to Linux. This became known as SELinux and is the standard MAC system used on Red Hat And some other distros today. It's highly flexible and very powerful. SELinux since has been ported to other Unix like OS's.

My point is that Windows 7 is not the first time the NSA has worked with OS developers in the public sector. They didn't put a backdoor in SELinux and I am doubting they did for Windows 7. However, Linux hackers can verify that there is no backdoor because the code is open-source. With Windows, we all have to take the NSA and M$'s word for it.

Now, I do think the NSA would love to have access to any Windows box they target (especially the ability to bypass BitLocker). I am just not sure M$ would go along with it. I don't trust M$ but I certainly don't trust the NSA. After all, it is their sole mission to conduct what they call SIGINT (electronic surveillance). Billions of dollars is given to them every year for this. I have read NSA internal reports where it was discussed that public key cryptography (i.e. AES 256) is just too strong to break, even with their massive computing power, so the NSA is focusing more on ways to "bypass" these sorts of protections. Putting a backdoor in the most popular OS in the world is certainly one way to do that.

[Pleonasm]

-{ Quote: "Now, I do think the NSA would love to have access to any Windows box they target (especially the ability to bypass BitLocker). I am just not sure M$ would go along with it." }-
I agree. The NSA has no authority whatsoever to compel Microsoft to include a backdoor in the security of Windows 7, and Microsoft has every reason not to comply with such a request anyway.

[yankinNcrankin]

ROFLMFAO I guess everyone is entitled to an opinion, so I shall assume the worst case scenario.....................:doubt:

[Searching_ _ _]

MS is an American company and a ASSet, is a target from countries who would try to subvert it.
The NSA has to balance protecting their asset, while still having access to gather inteligence as needed. Crossplatform hardware/software is one way.

[noone_particular]

I'd be surprised if recent versions of Windows didn't have a backdoor. Fortunately we can still use the earlier systems in spite of their planned obsolescense and their attempts to manipulate the entire industry.

[Eice]

-{ Quote: "Vista has DRM, I presume the same goes for Windows 7. I find that invasive." }-
Given this comment, I suspect you don't even have the slightest clue what DRM is.

It's also typical that people like you would be paranoid about the sky falling on your heads. Dude, just relax, and read up more to brush up your knowledge on stuff like these before worrying about everything.

[funkydude]

-{ Quote: "Given this comment, I suspect you don't even have the slightest clue what DRM is.

It's also typical that people like you would be paranoid about the sky falling on your heads. Dude, just relax, and read up more to brush up your knowledge on stuff like these before worrying about everything." }-

This post is also an appropriate reply to the complete nonsense below:

-{ Quote: "I'd be surprised if recent versions of Windows didn't have a backdoor. Fortunately we can still use the earlier systems in spite of their planned obsolescense and their attempts to manipulate the entire industry." }-