NSA Helped MS With Vista Security?

H

HardOCP News

[H] News
Joined
Dec 31, 1969
Messages
0
According to the Washington Post, Microsoft got help from the National Security Agency with Vista security. That is cool and scary all at the same time.

The agency said it has helped in the development of the security of Microsoft's new operating system -- the brains of a computer -- to protect it from worms, Trojan horses and other insidious computer attackers.
Click to expand...
 
Nice one MS. If you could tell me one thing to stop me upgrading to Vista. THIS was it.

Nah. I'll be buying it. But theres gonna be a lot of people put off by this news. To be honest having Jack Bauer kicking my ass coz of a few mp3's scares the living crap out of me too.
 
This sure as hell delayed my upgrade, though for all we know this is only the first time news of something like this has made it to the public.Who says Vista is the first time this has been done.
 
Interesting news for sure. At least now we don't need to guess about the NSA looking at our files anymore.
 
This is really not the big deal it seems, IMO. I seem to recall that the NSA also assisted Microsoft with Windows XP security. In fact, they're quite eager to help any company whose products are sufficiently critical to the nation's economy and stability. Since Microsoft supplies so much of the country's software, and since the NSA doesn't want outside hackers disrupting nearly every company in the US, they help MS. I'm pretty sure the NSA doesn't ask for backdoors. Not only would it be a PR nightmare, but it only takes one clever person to discover it, and it becomes more of a problem than a solution (to whatever "problem"). They're in more of an advisory role.

The NSA also helps companies involved in "ciritical infrastructure" like telecomms, energy (power, oil & gas, coal, etc) and the like.
 
So does this mean that the NSA thinks it OK
to play BSOD with our national security...scary thought :eek:

I would be skeptical that this would be helpfull. The first SP
will tell the tale, and history proves it so.
 
The NSA does a lot of work in this area...no biggy.

What I would LIKE to see is the NSA make spammers / hackers go *poof*...like only the NSA can :D
 
Steve said:
The NSA does a lot of work in this area...no biggy.

What I would LIKE to see is the NSA make spammers / hackers go *poof*...like only the NSA can :D
Click to expand...

I disagree, I think it is a biggy.

When did a goverment agency ever do anything under budget, on time, and worked
right the first time?
 
Since the Feds will likely be using Vista at some point, it makes sense to get some assistance from the NSA. but all conspiracy theories aside, i am not convinced the end product /contribution is a slam dunk for being secure, nor does it finalize a sale to me knowing the NSA "helped".

does the NSA's contribution now make Vista code a matter of national security?

heh... just try and get the code released for this product Mr. Atty General Class Action Suit guys/gals :rolleyes:
 
msny said:
When did a goverment agency ever do anything under budget, on time, and worked right the first time?
Click to expand...
They're not writing the code, just giving guidance. Like saying "this will be much more secure if the firewall is on by default" and "you should block inbound traffic on port X unless someone on the network has used it for an oubound connection before". That kind of thing.
xxGriff said:
Since the Feds will likely be using Vista at some point, it makes sense to get some assistance from the NSA. but all conspiracy theories aside, i am not convinced the end product /contribution is a slam dunk for being secure, nor does it finalize a sale to me knowing the NSA "helped".
Click to expand...
Heh. The NSA and Microsoft collaborated on Vista's security, so it MUST be secure, right? :D Anything is only as secure as the weakest link. The guidlines and advice from the NSA may be sound enough, but if it doesn't get coded properly, it won't do jack.
 
Mohonri said:
The NSA and Microsoft collaborated on Vista's security, so it MUST be secure, right? :D Anything is only as secure as the weakest link. The guidlines and advice from the NSA may be sound enough, but if it doesn't get coded properly, it won't do jack.
Click to expand...

Let's not forget that that security doesn't stop at the coding level. It takes people, processes, and knowledge in order to keep ANY computer system secure.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top