IP: Some more on "nsakey"

[David Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

> http://www.techweb.com/wire/story/TWB19990903S0014


According to Fernandez of
                                     Cryptonym, the result of having
                                     the secret key inside your
                                     Windows operating system "is
                                     that it is tremendously easier for
                                     the NSA to load unauthorized
                                     security services on all copies of
                                     Microsoft Windows, and once
                                     these security services are
                                     loaded, they can effectively
                                     compromise your entire
                                     operating system". The NSA
                                     key is contained inside all
                                     versions of Windows from
                                     Windows 95 OSR2 onward.

                                     "For non-American IT
                                     managers relying on WinNT to
                                     operate highly secure data
                                     centers, this find is worrying,"
                   he added. "The U.S government is currently making it as
                   difficult as possible for 'strong' crypto to be used outside
                   of the U.S. That they have also installed a cryptographic
                   back-door in the world's most abundant operating system
                   should send a strong message to foreign IT managers