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DHS Admits Knowledge of Infected Import Tech

Posted by Soulskill on from the mal-where? dept.

smitty777 writes "Deputy Undersecretary Schaffer of the DHS National Protection and Programs Directorate confessed to being aware of foreign technology that had been imported with spyware, malware, and other security risks. According to the article, 'More worryingly, the hearing specifically mentioned hardware components as possibly being compromised — which raises the questions of whether, perhaps, something as innocuous as Flash memory or embedded RFID chips could be used by interested foreign parties.' These hearings were held on July 7th to 'examine the nature and extent of the current threat to America's infrastructure.'"

5 of 59 comments (clear)

  1. Hey! by chemicaldave · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Spying on Americans is our business!

    1. Re:Hey! by liquidweaver · · Score: 5, Funny

      Spying on Americans is our business!

      Spy on us ? Why, that would indicate some amount of distrust. Why would the government distrust us? They are here to serve us, and our opinions are really important to them - we event vote for them for crying out loud. I sure know my vote counts, I see it all the time. Every big decision the government makes (you know, healthcare, civil liberties, where/when we go to war), a vote is called and we only do if the majority are game. I mean, this is a democracy, right? That's what we do. America - full of proud citizens whose relationship with their government is forged with a mutual respect and understanding.

      --
      mov ah, 4ch
      int 21h
    2. Re:Hey! by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 5, Interesting

      It would be even cheaper to buy a nice, respectable-looking pre-aged shell company(complete with years of respectable history, in a state with corporate disclosure rules approximately as stiff as Somalia's... Add a lawyer as a corporate officer to gain attorney-client privilege for just a small additional fee!) and then sell counterfeit parts re-marked as True, Blue, All-American ones.

      If you suffer the comparatively unlikely misfortune of getting caught, just fold the shell and buy another one! It's not like you are dealing pot or anything serious, so the risk of having the consequences make it past your corporate person and back to you personally are well worth the profit...

    3. Re:Hey! by hairyfeet · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Uhhhh...did you READ what you linked to? Former pres Carter said comparing Obama to Hitler or saying they should have buried Obama when they buried Ted Kennedy is going too far and you know what? He is right. You want to say he is a shitty POTUS? Fine I agree with you as a matter of fact, but comparing him to one of the biggest mass murderers in history is not only ridiculous but an insult to all those that suffered to get rid of the Nazis in WWII. There is a difference between dissent and being a troll, and I think most of us would agree the Bushhitler and Obamahitler posters were just that, trolling.

      As for TFA well surprise surprise to quote Gomer Pile, you send all the manufacturing overseas to a country that has been artificially lowering the value of ITS currency to make sure imports tank and exports rise, a not nice thing to do in the first place, and then you're shocked they may be doing other not nice things like pwning the gear they sell you? Can we get a DUH boys and girls? The very same country that was paying dirt farmers in Kosovo to dig up our crashed F117 so they could steal the tech, THAT country? Naaah, what makes you think they'd do anything naughty?

      To paraphrase a line from one of my favorite movies "Why do you think they are so big? Its because they fucking steal, every idea that ain't nailed down" and what better way to steal ideas that put a bunch of backdoors, rootkits, and other nasties on the products that we are hooked on like crack?

      --
      ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
  2. Story is misleading by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Go watch the video of the hearing and listen to what Schaffer actually said. All he says is that he is aware of cases in which products have come into the US with vulnerabilities. He doesn't say a thing about it being done intentionally or that China is doing it or anyone else is doing it. The question was crappy and badly worded, too. 52 minute mark. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFlgaJa4UVk