The National Security Agency is building a
data center in San Antonio that’s the size of the Alamodome. Microsoft has opened an
11-acre data center a few miles away. Coincidence? Not according to author
James Bamford, who probably knows more about the NSA than any outsider. Bamford's
new book reports that the biggest U.S. spy agency wanted assurances that Microsoft would be in San Antonio before it moved ahead with the
Texas Cryptology Center. Bamford notes that under current law, the NSA could legally tap into Microsoft’s data without a court order. Whatever you do, don't take pictures of it the spy building unless you
want to be taken in for questioning.
posted by up in the old hotel
on Dec 8, 2008 -
42 comments
"[C]omputer design is being dictated not by electronic design rules, physical layout requirements, and thermal issues, but by the wishes of the content industry." By deliberately breaking audio and video functionality, opening up new avenues for debilitating malware, and reversing performance gains in desktop PCs and third-party components, Peter Gutmann argues
"the Vista Content Protection specification could very well constitute the longest suicide note in history."
posted by Blazecock Pileon
on Dec 23, 2006 -
132 comments
Trusted Computing. Microsoft and friends are proposing some major
alterations to the way that computers work, the ostensible goal being to increase security. But
others say that the real goals are much more insidious.
posted by bingo
on May 22, 2004 -
15 comments
Microsoft = Megatarget. A new worm is rapidly spreading across the Internet, functioning like a massive DDOS attack and crippling ISPs in South Korea. It's host? Microsoft SQL server. (
Get yor fix on, then reboot!) What impact will it have over here, I wonder...
posted by insomnia_lj
on Jan 25, 2003 -
63 comments
While MS-bashing is often too easy, this statement about
recent security holes seemed especially astounding: "Outlook Express ships with every Windows system, or rather as part of IE, so it's on every system. But unless it is configured to receive mail, you are not at risk," said Scott Culp, manager for Microsoft security response. Interesting.
Unless it is configured to receive mail, like, you know, an email program.
posted by judith
on Oct 11, 2002 -
30 comments
Did you install it yet? You may want to think twice. That new software update for Windows Media Player isn't just a security update, if you read the End User License Agreement carefully, it states:
"In order to protect the integrity of content and software protected by digital rights management 'Secure Content', Microsoft may provide security related updates to the OS Components that will be automatically downloaded onto your computer."
Does anyone know anything more about this? How about recommendations for a suitable replacement for WMP?
posted by Hackworth
on Jul 1, 2002 -
31 comments
Microsoft Windows + NSA = loopholes in security: "A careless mistake by Microsoft programmers has revealed that special access codes prepared by the US National Security Agency have been secretly built into [almost all versions of] Windows." an interesting article that really shouldnt be surprising, and all the more reason to buy a mac.
posted by sixtwenty3dc
on Mar 22, 2002 -
25 comments
Microsoft to make products more "trustworthy." A lot of buzz words floating around here, like "trustworthy" and "security." Does this mark a true sea change in Microsoft strategy, or is it just a PR stunt, too little, too late? One thing I'll say, though - I never thought I'd hear this coming from Bill: "Users should be in control of how their data is used... It should be easy for users to specify appropriate use of their information, including controlling the use of e-mail they send." (from the
AP report)
posted by topolino
on Jan 17, 2002 -
14 comments
FBI warns Microsoft XP users "The FBI is urging computer users to unplug and don't play when it comes to addressing serious security flaws found in Microsoft's new Windows XP program."
"Microsoft admitted this week that there are several serious glitches in the new software. "
Really?
posted by headlemur
on Dec 22, 2001 -
24 comments
The Twenty Most Critical Internet Security Vulnerabilities This is a list of Internet security tips that SAMS and the FBI updated yesterday. The list is really aimed at IT professionals and does not offer much advice to the home user. My advise for any home user who is worried about viruses and security:
1. Don't use Windows OS, any Windows OS (try Linux or Mac)
2. Remove Outlook from your computer.
3. Don't open e-mail attachments you did not ask for.
posted by DragonBoy
on Oct 2, 2001 -
10 comments
Win XP's Product Activation as a breeze to hack. Provided that RC1 still ships as is and you keep your RAM locked at a fixed number of sticks, it's simply a matter of keeping a backup of a DBL file. For all the ballyhoo, it's amazing that something this obvious slipped under the cracks. With WPA this sloppy, is this the only half-hearted facet of Windows XP?
posted by ed
on Jul 17, 2001 -
36 comments
Microsoft's latest security loophole involves the much-hated animated paperclip "Office Assistant". Despite its ability to create or
delete files, someone chose to mark it as "safe for scripting", allowing it to be controlled by script on a web page.
posted by harmful
on May 17, 2000 -
2 comments
More news on the IIS exploit After acknowledging the problem last week, Micro$oft is now saying that the backdoor in IIS... is a flaw. M$ Technet seems to have a
fix for this problem, delete the offending file! So, if systems are your bag, my advice is to
start researching security if you are running M$ internet server products (SQL 7, Exchange, IIS, Index Server, etc.).
posted by Dean_Paxton
on Apr 17, 2000 -
2 comments
