Microsoft Discloses Government Backdoor on Windows Operating Systems
April 30th, 2008
Microsoft may have inadvertently disclosed a potential Microsoft backdoor for law enforcement earlier this week. To explain this all, here is the layman term of a backdoor from Wikipedia:
A backdoor in a computer system (or cryptosystem or algorithm) is a method of bypassing normal authentication, securing remote access to a computer, obtaining access to plaintext, and so on, while attempting to remain undetected. The backdoor may take the form of an installed program (e.g., Back Orifice), or could be a modification to an existing program or hardware device.
According to an article on PC World: “The software vendor is giving law enforcers access to a special tool that keeps tabs on botnets, using data compiled from the 450 million computer users who have installed the Malicious Software Removal tool that ships with Windows.”
Not a big deal until you keep reading: “Although Microsoft is reluctant to give out details on its botnet buster — the company said that even revealing its name could give cyber criminals a clue on how to thwart it”
Stop the press for second or two and look at this logically: “users who have installed the Malicious Software Removal tool” followed by “ Microsoft is reluctant to give out details on its botnet buster — the company said that even revealing its name could give cyber criminals a clue on how to thwart it”, what? This is perhaps the biggest gaffe I’ve read thus far on potential government collusion with Microsoft.
We then have the following wording: “Microsoft had not previously talked about its botnet tool, but it turns out that it was used by police in Canada to make a high-profile bust earlier this year.” So again, thinking logically at what has been said so far by Microsoft; “We have a tool called Malicious Software Removal tool…”, “we can’t tell you the name of this tool since it would undermine our snooping…”, “it’s been used by law enforcement already to make a high-profile bust earlier this year.”
More at:
Infiltrated.net
