Microsoft Denies It Built Backdoor Into Windows 7 450
CWmike writes "Microsoft has 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.' Thursday's categorical denial by Microsoft was accompanied by further explanation of exactly how the NSA participated in the making of Windows 7. 'The work being discussed here is purely in conjunction with our Security Compliance Management Toolkit,' said the spokeswoman. The company rolled out the Windows 7 version of the toolkit late last month, shortly after it officially launched the operating system."
I have no problem believing MS this time... (Score:5, Funny)
I believe Microsoft anytime that they would not build back doors into the system... If they tried, the backdoor would probably have enough bugs to be unusable.
Besides - doesn't it already state it in the story:
"Microsoft has not and will not put "backdoors" into Windows"
"the agency had worked on the operating system."
Seems pretty clear, MS did NOT put a backdoor into it... ;-)
Well.. (Score:5, Funny)
At least, not intentionally.
With props to Bill Cosby (Score:5, Funny)
God: "NOAH!"
Noah: "What!"
God: "Noah, I did not put a backdoor in Windows 7."
Noah: "[...] RIGHT."
Re:Well (Score:5, Funny)
This is true. However, I plan to register microsoftrapedandkilledandembeddedinwindows7ayounggirlin2009.com because they haven't denied that they have not.
I Tried to Interview Microsoft About This (Score:5, Funny)
Please, they have microphones in my clothes, on the desk, in the walls, the fly buzzing by your mouth is their robot!!! Meet me by the dumpster out back around 5pm, come alone.
Unfortunately I have a bad habit of reading things aloud when I read them and by the time I was finished the fly was gone and the man sitting across from me was dead. The government doctor that rushed in the room and gave him pentobarbital in an attempt to revive him said it was due to an aneurysm caused by a robotic fly which he says he sees a lot of so it's nothing for me to look into.
I guess there's no story here after all.
Re:Really people (Score:4, Funny)
The back door is usually considered "taboo" and therefore makes people feel like they're "bad-ass" (no pun intended). Plus, it's usually more pleasuring.
I'm the NSA... (Score:5, Funny)
and Windows 7 was my idea.
They should use this as a selling point (Score:1, Funny)
Might appeal to many Mac users.
Re:I Tried to Interview Microsoft About This (Score:5, Funny)
MS marketing reps can't write.
Re:Microsoft didn't make any backdoors (Score:3, Funny)
> The NSA, CIA or FBI made the backdoor. And then forced Microsoft to include
> it in the final build of the OS.
In that case it might actually work.
Who needs a back door? (Score:5, Funny)
Despite many years’ warnings that Microsoft regards security as a marketing problem and has only ever done the absolute minimum it can get away with [today.com], millions of users who click on any rubbish they see in the hope of pictures of female tennis stars having wardrobe malfunctions still fail to believe that taking Windows out on the Internet is like standing bent over in the street in downtown Gomorrah, naked, arse greased up and carrying a flashing neon sign saying “COME AND GET IT.”
Microsoft cannot believe people have not applied the patch for the problems, just because they keep trying to use Windows Genuine Advantage to break legally-bought systems. “Don’t they trust us?” asked marketing marketer Steve Ballmer.
Millions of smug Mac users and the four hundred smug Linux users pointed and laughed, having long given up trying to convince their Windows-using friends to see sense. “There’s a reason the Unix system on Mac OS X is called Darwin,” said appallingly smug Mac user Arty Phagge.
“It can’t be stupid if everyone else runs it,” said Windows user Joe Beleaguered, who had lost all his email, business files, MP3s and porn again. “Macs cost more than Windows PCs.”
“Yes,” said Phagge. “Yes, they do.”
Ubuntu Linux developer Hiram Nerdboy frantically tried to get our attention about something or other, but we can’t say we care.
This is silly (Score:4, Funny)
Of course you can trust the government. I mean, this is the NSA we're talking about. They're on YOUR side.
And as for Microsoft, or any other multinational company for that matter, they have grown to the size that they are because they are 100% honest to goodness hard working souls that, when faced with a decision, will always take the ethically correct side. I mean that's how you get fantastically rich, isn't it? Ask our hard working friends at Goldman Sachs, for example!
I'm shocked that you could even consider that Microsoft could be lying. I mean, what happens if they get caught lying? Surely the "back door" would be right there in the source code for all to see, and they'd be found out right away. Oh, wait... sorry, you don't get to see the source code. But Microsoft apologized for violating the GPL, that makes them GOOD guys. You're not suggesting that if anyone ever DID find out some sort of way to control a Windows machine, all they'd have to do is call it a "security vulnerability" and issue a patch (with a different back door) for it, are you?
Re:Not really necessary (Score:2, Funny)
Yes, this.
And if they had smuggled something into it, the testimony before Congress would have been sealed. The fact we know about it without some kind of secret leak means that we can be confident the NSA did not think the disclosure was valuable intel.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW AND WHERE IS MY TINFOIL HAT?
Re:I'm the NSA... (Score:5, Funny)
and Windows 7 was my idea.
John Hodgman: "Hi, I'm a PC." ... I guess you know who to choose."
*silence*
John Hodgman: "Oh, and Mac couldn't be here today because Windows 7 fiddled with his brakes. So
Re:Really people (Score:5, Funny)
>>>Who needs a back door when the front door is wide open?
"That's what she said!"
Re:Not really necessary (Score:2, Funny)
The agents were supposed to finish bugging your hat and have it returned by now. I'll look into it.
Oh sure, there's a back door in Windows 7 (Score:3, Funny)
Re:I have no problem believing MS this time... (Score:5, Funny)
Why would Microsoft build a back door into Win7, when the front door is so wide open?
Re:I Tried to Interview Microsoft About This (Score:4, Funny)
That story is patently absurd.
Whatever. You're just a patent troll.
Re:Really people (Score:4, Funny)
along with the proper medical staff and defensive systems.
Re:I have no problem believing MS this time... (Score:5, Funny)
Joshua (Score:3, Funny)
A better "I'm a Mac" ad... (Score:5, Funny)
"Hi, I'm a PC"
and then the NSA guy with the latex glove enters the scene...
Re:I have no problem believing MS this time... (Score:3, Funny)
Why would Microsoft build a back door when there are windows ?
Re:Who needs a back door? (Score:5, Funny)
What about all three of the BSD users?
Re:I Tried to Interview Microsoft About This (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Really people (Score:5, Funny)
They cancel each other out. So it is a positive.
Right?
Re:I have no problem believing MS this time... (Score:4, Funny)
oblig [krytosvirus.com]
Re:I have no problem believing MS this time... (Score:4, Funny)
His album "Sea Change" is really great.
Or do you mean the other Beck, the one who's got the TV show and the crying and the blackboard and who is the spiritual leader of all US conservatives?
Re:I have no problem believing MS this time... (Score:4, Funny)
Because that's the procedure, dammit! This is the government, we follow a procedure! That's why we have three-coat toilet paper, we need 2 copies of every crap!
Re:Really people (Score:3, Funny)
>>>Who needs a back door when the front door is wide open?
"That's what she said!"
This is /. minimal sucess and experience with either.
Thanks. I WAS having a good day; now I'm depressed.
Re:I have no problem believing MS this time... (Score:2, Funny)
Why would they need a back door? Windows? Get it? Access is already implied...
Sorry, to get Access you need to purchase it separately. It does not come free with Windows.
Aaron Z
Re:On the other hand... (Score:1, Funny)
Now come on.. 500 exploits in the first year? Do you really think it will take long to find 500 exploits? heh
Re:I have no problem believing MS this time... (Score:3, Funny)
Hi, welcome to slashdot!
Backdoor actually found! (Score:2, Funny)