January 15, 2007

How NSA Access was built into Windows A MS Windows computer's security and encryption software is controlled by a program that has two keys. One is Microsoft's and another for the US National Security Agency. Anyone previously heard of this?
posted by WPDK 17 years ago
  • Yeah, I think so. The date on that article is 1999. Wikipedia has more info about this NSAKEY.
  • Dan Brown has a book out about it. Digital Fortress.
  • Hello Everyone, And thank you for signing up for my Beta Email Tracking Application or (BETA) for short. My name is Bill Gates. Here at Microsoft we have just compiled an e-mail tracing program that tracks everyone to whom this message is forwarded to. It does this through an unique IP (Internet Protocol) address log book database. We are experimenting with this and need your help. Forward this to everyone you know and if it reaches 1000 people everyone on the list you will receive $1000 and a copy of Windows98 at my expense. Enjoy. Note: Duplicate entries will not be counted. You will be notified by email with further instructions once this email has reached 1000 people. Windows98 will not be shipped until it has been released to the general public. Your friend, Bill Gates & The Microsoft Development Team.
  • I've been too busy preparing for the Y2K bug to hear about this.
  • Wow, that deal sounds almost too good to be true!
  • Be nice, bitches.
  • *has had too much bourbon to post, goes back to writing business requirements for proposed startup*
  • So, I guess Vista will include a keylogger and surreptitiously access your webcam..? Oh, well, almost.
  • Bush Bill Gates sucks!
  • Does Windows have to use ADVAPI.DLL to run at all? Can a program based on another encryption system like PGP/GPG be used instead?
  • So if this was 7 years ago, how come no major public outcry since?
  • The article is a little misleading saying that the only encyrption you can use on a MS operating system machine, it's not. You can encrypt to your little heart's content using a 3rd party application, pen and paper, a decoder ring out of a cereal box, whatever, as long as the other party has the same key. The kind of encryption they're talking about is mainly browser encryption, as is used for secure credit card transactions, banking, what have you. There wasn't that much outcry then because if the government really wants to know your banking or credit card history, they don't need to snoop on online transactions to get it.
  • they can just ask Lara to get it for them...
  • And have... Actually, the only thing I've ever been asked (via subpoena) is recent transactions stolen cards, and recent transactions on a college kid who disappeared and was feared dead.