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NSA 'Upgrade Point' Implants Backdoors on Hardware

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who is the switzerland of tech (Score: 2, Insightful)

by rocks@pipedot.org on 2014-05-16 12:41 (#1NJ)

If companies desire hardware that they don't make themselves and that is "guaranteed" to be free of eavesdropping/tracking additions, from whom do they buy? The fact that it may be "proven" that the USA is doing such activities in no way proves that other countries aren't?

Re: who is the switzerland of tech (Score: 2, Interesting)

by zafiro17@pipedot.org on 2014-05-16 13:57 (#1NN)

Seriously, didn't Huawei get blacklisted from purchases by the American government, largely for doing that exact same thing? Kim Jong Un is about to offer a cellphone to the N. Korean people (running Android, naturally). Anybody want to bet whether or not there's eavesdropping, tracking, and Darth Vader choke-hold technology built into it at the factory?

Meanwhile, Linux users are dealing with "secureboot"crap that - wait for it - keeps a windows install from suffering the dangerous implications of untrusted software. Is this whole world just a big f*cking joke or something?

Re: who is the switzerland of tech (Score: 4, Informative)

by tempest@pipedot.org on 2014-05-16 14:47 (#1NT)

There's a slight difference here. If I order hardware from a European (or wherever) manufacter I trust, the NSA can still intercept and plant back doors. You can't trust ANYTHING in the United States. While I still don't trust Cisco, it seems unlikely the NSA has direct access to the company if they're redirectiong hardware to mod shops. Which is good news in a way.

Moderation

Time Reason Points Voter
2014-05-16 15:26 Informative +1 rocks@pipedot.org
2014-05-16 16:45 Interesting +1 songofthepogo@pipedot.org
2014-05-16 21:01 Insightful +1 codemachine@pipedot.org

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