Bonum Certa Men Certa

Security Disinformation

Measuring electricity



Summary: Latest OpenSSL FUD and Microsoft's Howard Schmidt's role informing the public about cyber-security risks

OUR complaints about The Register have intensified recently [1, 2, 3, 4] because of poor articles like this one (see the comments).



The Register spreads FUD about OpenSSL (not the first such smear, after comparisons to "communism" too) and Bradley M. Kuhn from the SFLC has responded as follows:

Ok, Be Afraid if Someone's Got a Voltmeter Hooked to Your CPU



Boy, do I hate it when a FLOSS project is given a hard time unfairly. I was this morning greeted with news from many places that OpenSSL, one of the most common FLOSS software libraries used for cryptography, was somehow "severely vulnerable".

I had a hunch what was going on. I quickly downloaded a copy of the academic paper that was cited as the sole source for the story and read it. As I feared, OpenSSL was getting some bad press unfairly. One must really read this academic computer science article in the context it was written; most commenting about this paper probably did not.

First of all, I don't claim to be an expert on cryptography, and I think my knowledge level to opine on this subject remains limited to a little blog post like this and nothing more. Between college and graduate school, I worked as a system administrator focusing on network security. While a computer science graduate student, I did take two cryptography courses, two theory of computation courses, and one class on complexity theory. So, when compared to the general population I probably am an expert, but compared to people who actually work in cryptography regularly, I'm clearly a novice. However, I suspect many who have hitherto opined about this academic article to declare this "severe vulnerability" have even less knowledge than I do on the subject.


There are much bigger problems to worry about, such as the latest news about Windows botnets [1, 2, 3]. The authors of the Windows exploit might not even face a jail sentence, based on this report.

Three Spanish men were arrested last month for allegedly building an international network of more than 12 million hacked PCs that were used for everything from identity theft to spamming. But according to Spanish authorities and security experts who helped unravel the crime ring, the accused may very well never see the inside of a jail cell even if they are ultimately found guilty, due to insufficient cyber crime legislation in Spain.


Regarding this new article about Scott Charney's outrageous remarks [1, 2] (he worked for the US government before Microsoft hired him), Groklaw wrote 3 days ago: "First Microsoft fills the world with security issues and problems, then it wants the public to be taxed to fix them? I think Microsoft needs to fix its own software itself." Microsoft's own negligence [1, 2, 3] ought to have Microsoft bear the bill.

Howard Schmidt, the US Cyber Czar who came directly from Microsoft [1, 2, 3, 4], claims/pretends that there is no problem, even though many firms that include Google were intruded due to an Internet Explorer hole that Microsoft had knowingly ignored for 5 months [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12] (there are more security patches coming shortly). Even Google source code got grabbed. [via]

Operation Aurora continues to be a hot topic inside and outside of security circles. At this week’s RSA Conference in San Francisco many conversations are on the topic of the attacks that hit Google and dozens of other companies in January.


These reports indicate that proprietary source code got nicked from Google. Microsoft also nicks proprietary source code from companies/projects like Plurk [1, 2, 3, 4], which probably puts the Redmond-based company at the same side as the crackers.

"Cyberwar Hype Intended to Destroy the Open Internet," says this report from Wired. [via]

The biggest threat to the open internet is not Chinese government hackers or greedy anti-net-neutrality ISPs, it’s Michael McConnell, the former director of national intelligence.

McConnell’s not dangerous because he knows anything about SQL injection hacks, but because he knows about social engineering. He’s the nice-seeming guy who’s willing and able to use fear-mongering to manipulate the federal bureaucracy for his own ends, while coming off like a straight shooter to those who are not in the know.


And on the other hand, on the same occasion we find that "US urges 'action' needed to fight net attacks," according to the BBC.

Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano has admitted there is an urgent need to step up efforts to protect Americans from cyber attacks.


They seem to contradict themselves. Now they claim to be looking for ideas:

Homeland Security wants to pick your brains



[...]

The lucky winners will be invited to an event in Washington DC in late May or early June. They'll get to partner with the department to lead in the planning of the National Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign, due to launch in October.


Over at CNET, Dennis O'Reilly has this new article about "five ways to keep your [Windows] PC free of viruses and Trojans". Here is one of his suggestions.

If you can't give up Windows, you may still be able to install Linux on an old PC or in a partition of your Windows PC. Then you can use that system (or partition) whenever you engage in any sensitive computer activities. You'll find instructions for dual-booting Windows and the Ubuntu version of Linux on the Ubuntu Community Documentation site.


Thumbs up to Dennis.

"Usually Microsoft doesn't develop products, we buy products. It's not a bad product, but bits and pieces are missing."

--Arno Edelmann, Microsoft's European business security product manager

Comments

Recent Techrights' Posts

Confirmed in the Mainstream Media: A Lot of Microsoft "Workloads" Were Just LLM Slop (Helping to Fake Growth for Years, as Microsoft Had Paid "Open" "AI" to Become a "Client") and Demand is Rapidly Waning, Datacentres Canceled and/or Shut Down
Anything to facilitate further accounting fraud
Taiwan's Media Covers Closure of Microsoft's "AI" Lab, It's Time to Talk About the Gradual Death of Windows and Implosion of the "AI" Bubble
Earlier this week we showed that mostly Asian media had the 'nerve' to mention Microsoft silently shutting down its 'AI' lab
More Gains for GNU/Linux, Based on Web Surveys
the Steam site shows rapid growth for "Linux" this month
 
Indonesia: All-Time Highs for GNU/Linux
What's noteworthy right now is the growth of GNU/Linux
statCounter Says GNU/Linux Usage is Up Again (Internationally)
some preliminary April data
Only on April 1st Can the Free Software Foundation Associate With Microsoft's Open Source Initiative (OSI)
We saw some pranks that day linking the FSF to Microsoft (e.g. "endorsing" Windows)
IBM Gets Rid of Kelly Chambliss as Mass Layoffs Reported in IBM Consulting, IBM Loses Key Contracts/Graft
IBM Consulting has been in disarray lately
Slopwatch: Anti-Linux Articles, Not Even Written by Humans
Why aren't Web sites more vocal about this problem?
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Wednesday, April 02, 2025
IRC logs for Wednesday, April 02, 2025
Links 03/04/2025: Apple Fined Over Secret Surveillance, "Elegant Writer For A More Civilized Age"
Links for the day
Gemini Links 02/04/2025: Books and Cold Tea
Links for the day
Links 02/04/2025: More Layoffs, Nokia Again Takes Advantage of Illegal and Unconstitutional Patent Court With Nokia Staff as 'Judges'
Links for the day
Links 02/04/2025: Seizures and Returns to Windows of 24 Years Ago
Links for the day
LLM Slop Helps Obscure and Distort News About Layoffs (IBM, GAFAM)
It's hard to find accurate information
Links 02/04/2025: Microsoft Developers Are Threatening to Go on Strike, World Backup Day Noted
Links for the day
Gemini Protocol Has Growing Appeal (the Web Got Too Bloated and Full of LLM Slop)
For any "data plan" with bandwidth limits or "tiers" it would be cheaper to use/browse Geminispace
The Web Can Survive LLM Slop, But Only If We Collectively Shun and Discourage Serial Sloppers
Doing nothing ought not be a possibility
Amid Secret Shut-downs and Mass Layoffs at Microsoft (4 Waves of Layoffs in 3 Months of 2025) Some Microsoft Staff Expected to Go On Strike
workers going on strike
Gemini Links 02/04/2025: No more on Mastodon and Gemini Mention Script in Go
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, April 01, 2025
IRC logs for Tuesday, April 01, 2025
My Motion Disbarring or “Striking Off” Brett Wilson LLP for Enabling Violent Americans Who Try to Crush Microsoft Critics in the United Kingdom by Multiple SLAPPs
"Guns for hire" (for Microsoft people who received Microsoft salaries)
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Hijacked Again by Patent Litigation Industry, as President Cheeto Prioritises Aggressors
The "mafia" has taken over the "industry" and the Federal system (justice and constitutions trampled upon)
Ubuntu Slop and FUD Manufactured With LLMs and Funded (by Oneself) 'Studies'
Slop and FUD are ruining the Web
Gemini Links 01/04/2025: Games and More
Links for the day
Links 01/04/2025: Apple Fined $162M for Privacy Abuses, Disinformation Online a Growing Concern
Links for the day
Why We're Reporting Brett Wilson LLP for Apparently Misusing Their Licence to Protect American Microsofters Who Attack Women
For those who have not been keeping abreast
Newer Press Reports Confirm That Microsoft Shuts Down 'Hey Hi' (AI) Labs Despite All the Hype
The "hey hi" (AI) bubble is not sustainable
Links 01/04/2025: Mass Layoffs at Eidos and "Microsoft Pulls Back on Data Centers" (Demand Lacking); "Racist and Sexist" Slop From Microsoft
Links for the day
Stefano Maffulli and His Microsoft-Funded OSI Staff Are Killing the OSI and Killing "Open Source" (All for Money!)
This is far from over
Gemini Links 01/04/2025: XKCDpunk and worldclock.py
Links for the day
50 Years of Sabotage and a Gut Punch to Computer Science (and Science in General)
Will we get back to science-based computing rather than cult-like following?
Techrights Headlines as Semaphore
"If you are hearing this, thank you"
3 Months in 2025, 4 Waves of Mass Layoffs at Microsoft, Now Offices Shut Down Permanently
"A recent visit by the South China Morning Post confirmed that the office was dark, unoccupied, and had its logo removed."
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Monday, March 31, 2025
IRC logs for Monday, March 31, 2025