Slashdot Mirror
Microsoft Helps Police Crack Your Computer
IGnatius T Foobar writes "Microsoft has developed a small plug-in device that investigators can use to quickly extract forensic data from computers that "may have been used in crimes." It basically bypasses all of the Windows security (decrypting passwords, etc.) in order to eliminate all that pesky privacy when the police have physical access to your computer. Just one more reason not to run Windows on your computer."
Seems to me that if all you need to do to get full access to anyones computer (anyone running Windows that is) is a Microsoft made device; that is a serious security flaw.
The Long Now Foundation
Reverse engineering and (more) malicious usage in 3... 2... 1.
...it's just one more nail in the coffin of being "allowed" to use OSS. After all, if you have nothing to hide then you have nothing to fear, and only criminals would use OSS that would allow them to evade government snooping.
I'm sure some lobbyist is sitting with a Congressional staffer right now, explaining how requiring Windows on every computer is essential to the War on Terrorism.
You are in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.
unless the hardware itself is secured and tamper-resistant enough (ie cost of successfull tampering is higher than value of data).
This has always been true.
News at 11!
No unix using a non-encrypted file system is secure if you have physical access to the machine...Why would you assume it's any different with Windows?
I'd just boot knoppix and mount the partition. There, I have access to all the files. That goes for windows AND unix/linux.
If you really depend on the password for anything other than stopping casual or remote access, you're just fooling yourself.
ad logicam Claiming a proposition is false because it was presented as the conclusion of a fallacious argument.
So, the sheer fact that there is a device that can do this also means that anybody can do this because the methods are in place for bypassing security. It's only a matter of time before someone spends enough energy to develop a device that can do this (outside of Microsoft).
No. The ONLY question that is of any interest is whether or not this device actually has a back door to Windows encryption. Somehow I seriously doubt that it does. Its probably little more than a bootable drive with NTFS support, and some tools. If you've got a password on your login, it doesn't mean you are using encryption. And this tool probably just lets you get straight to searching the -unencrypted- disk without cracking the login, or without pulling the drive and installing it somewhere else to scan through.
The implications of a device like this are scary to say the least. Although I'm not a Microsoft hater, this alone is more than enough to make me take a second look at options other than Microsoft Windows.
I suspect your average Linux LiveCD Recovery Disk has all the same tools on it. MS is just getting on board with their own version, to remove another area, where, right now, you have to use Linux. If that's the case the implications aren't scary at all.
And this whole are article is pure FUD.
Unless they've provided a back door to the encryption. That is the -only- question. But I really doubt they have.
Since when has physical access to a machine ever been safe for any operating system? Also, it's not like Microsoft programmed in back doors for law enforcement; they are just bundling their version of script kiddie hacks.
I'm all for protecting personal privacy, but if investigators are using these tools to comb through your PC, you don't need to stop using windows - you need to stop committing crimes.
Yea, look at linux...No way would it be possible to reset the root password if you had physical access to the machine.
I can't believe all the people who are freaking out about this. This isn't a remote exploit. This isn't a massive security hole. This is trivial stuff that anyone who is reasonably computer savvy should be able to do.
ad logicam Claiming a proposition is false because it was presented as the conclusion of a fallacious argument.
You'd always have to shut it down, image the drive, and then run your test against the image. If you ever so much as boot the image and use the device at that point, you've still just changed a shit load of files during the boot up process and a lawyer may still be able to get you off.
This device is only helpful if it contains a standalone script that can be pointed to a set of files on a write-blocked drive. Blindly letting it have full read/write access to any drive would be instant not-guilty result.
Unless this device gets some hefty certs, I'd be surprised if any law enforcement agency that reports to the public courts would ever use this device as reported.
Yes. Most criminal investigations have experts well-versed in many operating systems. More regional departments may not have Macintosh or Unix experts, though almost all computer forensic investigators have familiarity with Unix, and would send the computer to another office. There are a lot of experts working in law enforcement, so if their case is important enough, your hardware will be shipped to an office that has an expert.
They wouldn't boot your machine, though. They'd remove the drive, duplicate it, and then look at the duplicate through a hardware write blocker. Software would probably indicate that the majority of the disk was ext2/whatever Unix format you use partitions, and the layout of the root partition would make it fairly clear you were using a Unix variant. If they really wanted to "boot" your machine, they'd boot an image of your drive using a VM.
I would hate an edit feature. That is what proofreading is for. Once you commit your post that should be it. I can't tell you how many times I've been in forums that allow editing of posts and suddenly I don't know what anyone is talking about simply because I showed up late. One person makes a comment, other people discuss, then that person edits his post to something else.
Not only that, it would be horrible for avoiding the trolls. All they would need to do is get a +5 informative on a post then edit it to be a link to a virus filled site or something else.
Stop Global Warming!
Just say no to irreversible processes!