China Prepares To Examine MS Windows Code

Stargoat writes "CNet reports that China is looking into MS's source code for Windows. They are looking both to increase security as well as perhaps create a Chinese version of Linux. Or are they perhaps concerned with rumors of deliberate holes left in the software for the NSA to exploit?" Here's an earlier Slashdot post about the Microsoft-China agreement.

Comments

Whats the use?

[zaroastra]

whats the use of inspecting some offsite code when you have ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY that the code you're looking at is the one that is delivered in your compiled version?
In my language we have an expresion for that, that could be roughly tranlated to trying to stop the wind with a fork.

Would You Trust a Chinese OS?

[reallocate]

Don't know about any backdoors in Windows, but we all certainly have reason to distrust any OS sponsored by the Chinese government. They may have adopted a friendlier demeanor, but the folks who gave us Tiananmen still run the place.

Backdoors

[pubjames]

reports have said that the search for backdoors installed by national intelligence agencies is also among the aims of the agreement.

MS drone Bob: Did you remember to send those CDs of the source code to the Chinese?

MS drone Dave: Yes, I did it this morning. Posted it Express delivery!

MS drone Bob: You did remember to send the version with the backdoors taken out, didn't you?

MS drone Dave: D'oh! [Slaps forehead]

Re:Can China regerate a standard build ?

[bazik]

It would be interesting to see if the Chinese can type 'make'[...]

Actually its

./configure --with-bugs --with-bsd-tcp --enable-features=bluescreen,solitaire,minesweeper && make && make kernel32.exe

Why would you think that?

[Nijika]

While I'm sure that the NSA is no slouch when it comes to computer infiltration, I've never been one to believe that they've got some magical super powers outside the realm of known technical limitations. Let's not forget that most of what any government says it can do is a large percentage smoke and mirrors to keep the public feeling safe (PATRIOT missles) or unsafe (PATRIOT act) as it may be. On top of that the Chinese have never been pushovers when it comes to technology. They're in the asia pacific region, which is undoubtably a world hotspot for technological advances. Hell, the PC you're using right now is probably 60% chinese and 90% asian in manufacture and design.

With all that in mind, I'd say any advantage the NSA can get, it would take. And with THAT in mind, I think it's perfectly reasonable for the Chinese government to fully inspect any operating system it may run.

Funniest line in the article

[Mark_in_Brazil]

Haw haw... Sorry, but there's a throwaway line in the article that just made me laugh:

China--potentially a huge market for Microsoft, once the problem of software piracy is solved--

Riiiiiiiight. And when, exactly will "the problem of software piracy" be solved? And how?
I haven't seen anything reported on Slashdot or anywhere else that would "solve the problem of software piracy" and make China a huge market for Microsoft at the same time...

--Mark

Couple of questions

[tsetem]

Considering China's respect of Intellectual Property, and their desire to create a custom version of Linux to break the Microsoft monopoly, What is to prevent China from looking at the Windows Source, and then taking the good parts out and inserting them into Linux (or derivative utilities). What if they saw how the whole Active Directory authentication stuff worked, and enhanced Samba?

I mean that could really be interesting. Genuine MS protocols in the Linux kernel. Microsoft would be pissed because of IP theft (ala SCO). But what could Microsoft do? Sue China?