The U.S. National Security Agency has access to your computer!
The U.S. National Security Agency has access to your computer!
The U.S. National Security Agency has access to your computer!
If you use Microsoft products such as Windows 95.
http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9909/03/windows.nsa/index.html
Crypto expert: Microsoft products leave door open to NSA
U.S. September 3, 1999
LOCAL Web posted at: 2:06 p.m.
POLITICS EDT (1806 GMT)
WEATHER (CNN) -- A cryptography
BUSINESS expert says that Microsoft
SPORTS operating systems include a
TECHNOL[Image] back door that allows the
National Security Agency to
computing enter systems using one of
personal the operating system
technology versions.
NATURE The chief scientist at an
Internet security company reported the flaw at a recent
ENTERTAINMENT conference in Santa Barbara where he discussed a "key"
BOOKS entrance into the cryptographic standard used in
TRAVEL Microsoft Windows products. That includes Windows 95,
FOOD Windows 98, Windows NT4 and Windows2000.
HEALTH "It turns out that there are really two keys used by
STYLE Windows; the first belongs to Microsoft, and it allows
IN-DEPTH them to securely load (the cryptography services)," said
---------------- Andrew Fernandes in a press release. Fernandes works for
Cryptonym, a company based in Ontario.
custom news
Headline News The press release states "the second belongs to the NSA.
brief That means that the NSA can also securely load (the
daily almanac services) on your machine, and without your
CNN networks authorization."
CNN programs The discovery "highly suggests" that the NSA has a key it
on-air could use to enter encrypted items on anybody's Windows
transcripts operating system, said Ian Goldberg, chief scientist at
news quiz Zero-Knowledge Systems. Goldberg was among a few dozen
people in the audience at the conference when Fernandes
CNN WEB dropped his bomb.
SITES:
The session occurred just before midnight so no one saw
[CNN Websites] it coming, he said, but the audience was shocked.
TIME INC. "If you're trying to keep messages private, it's possible
SITES: that they are not as private as you thought they were,"
Goldberg said.
MORE SERVICES: Zero-Knowledge Systems is about to release a security
video on product built specially to make such security flaws
demand impossible, he said.
Microsoft was not immediately available for comment.
demand It is unclear why or if Microsoft cooperated with the NSA
news email on the key to its "CryptoAPI," the standard interface to
services its cryptography services, Goldberg said.
accounts More details to follow.
© 1999 Cable News Network. All Rights Reserved.
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Bob Olsen, Toronto [log in to unmask]
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