Microsoft denies it built 'backdoor' in Windows 7

[Night Hawk]

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]

Deny, deny...deny.

 

[Night Hawk]

Always! "plausable deniability" is one term! :roflmao:

 

[fseal]

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

 

[Zidane24]

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:sarc:

 

[seekermeister]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

 

[cesnjak]

It has been confirmed that in win xp exists backdoor.

 

[almigi]

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.

What you're describing is really an "Easter Egg" which is a term used to describe something hidden in a program that does no harm. An Easter Egg is generally intended to be interesting or funny.

A backdoor would give someone access to your computer without having any way for you to stop it (i.e. perhaps sending a certain sequence of characters to a certain port on your computer will cause your computer to allow MS or the government to acccess your system).

 

[Night Hawk]

Remote access is the best term to describe that only without enabling the file and printer sharing option or being aware of a made public not private network setting. As far as seeing MS or someone else simply logging onto your system remotely that wouldn't be something predesigned into Windows. ISPs keep records of your online activities however in case a need arises or to track down spammer domains.

Digital formal or non formal signatures have always been tucked away often where only other developers will know where to look. That would be the "Easter egg" you were referring to which is placed in a way as to be non intrusive and may only simply appear as a number or small item in the system registry itself that goes unnoticed by the untrained user there.

Here's the latest heard on this.

Operating systems News

Microsoft denies NSA backdoor in Windows 7

US National Security Agency did, however, work on the new OS
19 hours ago

A row brewing in the US over the security features of Windows 7 has been nipped in the bud after Microsoft claimed it has not engineered a backdoor to give authorities access to user's PCs.

The existence or otherwise of a backdoor became an issue when it emerged that the US National Security Agency (NSA) had been involved in the development of Windows 7.

The rest of that is seen at http://www.techradar.com/news/softw...osoft-denies-nsa-backdoor-in-windows-7-652929

Gee? I guess the end on that one with the "more to come" wasn't too far off there!

NSA helped harden Windows 7 Security

Date: November 24, 2009

The National Security Agency (NSA) worked with Microsoft on the development of Windows 7, an agency official acknowledged yesterday during testimony before Congress.

"Working in partnership with Microsoft and elements of the Department of Defense, NSA leveraged our unique expertise and operational knowledge of system threats and vulnerabilities to enhance Microsoft's operating system security guide without constraining the user to perform their everyday tasks, whether those tasks are being performed in the public or private sector," Richard Schaeffer, the NSA's information assurance director, told the Senate's Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security yesterday as part of a prepared statement.

"All this was done in coordination with the product release, not months or years later during the product lifecycle," Schaeffer added. "This will improve the adoption of security advice, as it can be implemented during installation and then later managed through the emerging SCAP standards."

Security Content Automation Protocol, or SCAP, is a set of standards for automating chores such as managing vulnerabilities and measuring security compliance. The National Institute of Standards and Technologies (NIST) oversees the SCAP standards.

The rest is seen at http://www.windows7update.com/NSA-h...ecurity.html?awt_l=57qMl&awt_m=1goOv7RcF4YI18