UK Government Wants a Backdoor Into Windows

[Deeboe]

Hello,

I just read the following on Slashdot a minute ago and thought I would shrare:

"The BBC is reporting that the British Government is working with Microsoft in order to gain backdoor access to hard drives encrypted by the forthcoming Windows Vista file system. Professor Anderson, professor of security engineering at Cambridge University, urged the Government to contact Microsoft over fears that evidence could be lost by suspects claiming to have forgotten their encryption key."

You can read the whole article here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4713018.stm

I can't say I agree with this idea. However with the supposed upcoming improvements to Vista, I can see why they would want something like this to happen.

-Deeboe

[mnchur]

Im not sure why they are worried about not being able to get to the windows new file system. If history is any precursor then there will be a "hack" out to break this file system in under 6 months. Not to mention that if someone is smart enough to encrypt the filesystem then they wont use the one that will come with the operating system.

[d0pp]

I agree. The government should have to use the same backdoors that the rest of us use.

[morganlefay]

Isnt there some sort of conspiracy theory out there already...with current MS OSes and the NSA key???

So if the US already has one....why not give it to the Brits

MLF

[nihil]

Well,

The biggest back door I can see here is the DRM through the back door

If the drive is encrypted and the key is not on the drive as they say, it must be on the chip. That means it can be read and cracked.

I can assure you that GCHQ and the "boys down on the river" have big enough rainbow tables to handle it.

As has been noted, if you are doing something naughty, you are not going to trust Microsoft.

[ByTeWrangler]

I agree. The government should have to use the same backdoors that the rest of us use.

still cant stop lauging