Microsoft denies it built 'backdoor' in Windows 7

Night Hawk · 19 Nov 2009

Microsoft denies it built 'backdoor' in Windows 7

Don't worry, company tells users; NSA involved only in security compliance standards

By Gregg Keizer
November 19, 2009 03:07 PM ET

Computerworld - 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.

"Microsoft has not and will not put 'backdoors' into Windows," a company spokeswoman said, reacting to a Computerworld story Wednesday.

On Monday, Richard Schaeffer, the NSA's information assurance director, told the Senate's Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security that the agency had partnered with the developer during the creation of Windows 7 "to enhance Microsoft's operating system security guide."

More at: Microsoft denies it built 'backdoor' in Windows 7

seekermeister · 19 Nov 2009

Deny, deny...deny.

Night Hawk · 20 Nov 2009

Always! "plausable deniability" is one term!

fseal · 20 Nov 2009

Man this comes up EVERY windows version since at least Win2k!!!

Zidane24 · 20 Nov 2009

fseal said:

Man this comes up EVERY windows version since at least Win2k!!!

You would figure they would focus their time and effort into scrutinizing something else

seekermeister · 20 Nov 2009

fseal said:

Man this comes up EVERY windows version since at least Win2k!!!

And with good reason. It has been known that MS had placed backdoors in previous versions, but it wasn't known whether the NSA had anything to do with them. In today's environment, I would be very surprised if they didn't.

fseal · 20 Nov 2009

Actually I believe that the "back door in windows" rumor has always been debunked. Is there a credible source that says otherwise?

Though it may laso depend on the definition of "back door". Paranoid people consider things like Windows Update and the killbits features to be back doors and if that's the way one were to define it then yes it contains back doors. :/

catilley1092 · 21 Nov 2009

I've heard of this "back door" thing for years. At least 10. Hasn't Microsoft figured this out, or is there a prankster out there stirring something up? This is a major security issue.

Night Hawk · 21 Nov 2009

Typically when you think of the term "back door" the most common application for that would be back door trojan or some form of malware rather then any built in "get you without you knowing" code inplace. For the most part that would be more in the lines of preventative measures to prevent things like seen in one report on someone getting info on global warming. Global Warming Research Exposed After Hack - PC World

What you see now offered in 7 is the BitLocker tool as well as the AppLocker on the higher editions for security purposes there. Guidelines for a higher security standard incorporated into 7 and the newer versions to follow would be a more realistic approach since just about everyone is online these days as an every day routine.

jimbo45 · 21 Nov 2009

Hi all
Any developer on the planet always puts in their own "unofficial" signatures

I haven't got it now but does anybody remember the early versions of Word for Windows on Windows 3.11.

By the correct combination of keystrokes you could make a little diagram of the development team appear -- totally not supported (or probably not even known about) by MS at the time.

Most of these "back doors" are actually benign - no ulterior motives --they are like a hidden signature on a painting. In some cases they can prove the authenticity of the prduct as "pirated reverse engineered" copies will certainly lack these "undocumented" additions.

I don't have WFW on Windows 3.11 so I can't show the screen but I'm sure someone can find it. Maybe one of the original developers -- I know current and previous MS employees and contractors read these boards.

Cheers
jimbo.