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Kaspersky: The Russian Company That Is a Danger to Our Security

mobile.nytimes.com

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Re: Kaspersky: The Russian Company That Is a Danger to Our Security

#41

Post by averagewall »

shade23 wrote: post #33

I really do not expect such journalism from New York times, >But a backdoor is not necessary. When a user installs Kaspersky Lab software, the company gets an all-access pass to every corner of a user’s computer network, including all applications, files and emails. Isn't this true for all antiviruses. >The Kremlin hacked our presidential election, is waging a cyberwar against our NATO allies and is probing opportuni…

The idea of the Russians hacking the election is just a signal of political bias. There isn't even any accusation of miscounting votes or any typical election fraud. US voters still got what they voted for exactly as the system is supposed to work.

Re: Kaspersky: The Russian Company That Is a Danger to Our Security

#42

Post by snakeanus »

> But a backdoor is not necessary

> the company gets an all-access pass to every corner of a user’s computer network, including all applications, files and emails.

Isn't that a possible definition of a backdoor?

> is waging a cyberwar

Cyberwar is a codeword for "I have no idea what I am talking about".

> I hope to amend it to ban Kaspersky software from all of the federal government.

They should ban all proprietary software instead, that way they will avoid the NSA backdoors as well.

Re: Kaspersky: The Russian Company That Is a Danger to Our Security

#43

Post by zaqokm321 »

mc32 wrote: post #12
wyldfire wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have no idea one way or the other (regarding either the NYT or Kaspersky). But it does strike me that your theory is credible. However it also seems credible that Microsoft, Intel and other critical hardware and software vendors based in the US may have moles and/or agreements in place with CIA/NSA.

That's possible as well but if you are US based at least the damage is contained --the NSA isn't going to give your data to a foreign competitor (or local for you have recourse in the legal system), whereas I'm not so sure the FSB would not "share" information with their preferred firms and if you become aware of it, you would have very little recourse.

> That's possible as well but if you are US based at least the damage is contained

There have been long standing allegations that the US uses ECHELON to spy on foreign business.

Second to that we all don't live in the US, and many of us are from the "good" side also, but that doesn't mean we are immuned to US eaves dropping.

Re: Kaspersky: The Russian Company That Is a Danger to Our Security

#44

Post by duncan_bayne »

UnoriginalGuy wrote: post #27
bayesian_horse wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The difference is that there is a process in place with court oversight, and a judicial system which isn't completely beholden to the government. Even with the most egregious abuses of these National Security Letters, their scope is still limited and they have to have justification for whatever they demand. There is a record of such letters, which can be examined, for example by politicians in congress or the next ad…

> The difference is that there is a process in place with court oversight You mean the FISA Court that Russ Tice once described as a "kangaroo court with a rubber stamp" and that approves over 99% of applications? Is that 1% rejection rate in a closed door court where due process lives?

Yeah, I think that's the one he means.

I mean, I'll grant you that it's _worse_ in Russia; they don't even have that 1%, and the scope of abuse is much broader.

But I do wonder if part of the propaganda value of the aforementioned Red Scare is to drive attention away from domestic abuses.

Re: Kaspersky: The Russian Company That Is a Danger to Our Security

#45

Post by 0xbear »

bayesian_horse wrote: post #19
Shank wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The reason you "know" the NSA is a threat is because of the increased "transparency" of western democracies. The reason why we know so much about what the NSA does is because a few NSA contractors have broken the law (for good or for ill) and leaked classified information about operations. Without leaks, there would be no information about what NSA does or doesn't do. The only difference between NSA and FSB is that…

Leakers, and the ensuing discussion and spread of the leaked information, is part of the western culture of transparency. Of course government agencies don't want to expose their secrets voluntarily. They have to be dragged into the open kicking and screaming. Doesn't mean that they aren't, though.

It's so much part of a "culture" that one of the leakers is only safe in Russia, another spent five years in solitary confinement, and yet another is holed up in an embassy to avoid extraordinary rendition. Some "culture" there.

Re: Kaspersky: The Russian Company That Is a Danger to Our Security

#46

Post by chowyuncat »

averagewall wrote: post #41
shade23 wrote: post #33

I really do not expect such journalism from New York times, >But a backdoor is not necessary. When a user installs Kaspersky Lab software, the company gets an all-access pass to every corner of a user’s computer network, including all applications, files and emails. Isn't this true for all antiviruses. >The Kremlin hacked our presidential election, is waging a cyberwar against our NATO allies and is probing opportuni…

The idea of the Russians hacking the election is just a signal of political bias. There isn't even any accusation of miscounting votes or any typical election fraud. US voters still got what they voted for exactly as the system is supposed to work.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/russian-hackers-targeted-half-state...

Re: Kaspersky: The Russian Company That Is a Danger to Our Security

#47

Post by monochromatic »

dkural wrote: post #20
monochromatic wrote: post #5

> The Kremlin hacked our presidential election Stopped reading there.

They did hack the voting machines. It doesn't say the hack successfully changed the outcome. What do you disagree with?

Citation for them hacking the voting machines?

Re: Kaspersky: The Russian Company That Is a Danger to Our Security

#49

Post by desireco42 »

I think NSA is such a danger and threat, aside from installing backdoors and weakening security, the major reason is that it legitimizes such behavior, so that others like China, Russia, Iran etc, can do the same and not even blush about it.

As someone said, Kaspersky is danger because it is revealing NSA tools.

(and I can't write short sentences :) sorry)

Re: Kaspersky: The Russian Company That Is a Danger to Our Security

#50

Post by flukus »

rdtsc wrote: post #40

> The Kremlin hacked our presidential election, That's the first line in the article and is stated as fact, what's the evidence for that? How exactly did Kremlin hack our election? Are they implying had it not been for their hackers we might have had Hillary as a president. I remember her campaigning in California multiple times and but I guess those sneaky Russian hackers changed her itinerary to never visit Wiscons…

I've never even heard anyone explain how they could prove it in the first place. How do they differentiate an attack launched from Russia with a Russian attack? How do the differentiate state vs private actors? How do they rule out intentionally created back doors?

It always comes down to "it was the Russians, trust us".

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