Schneier: Microsoft Vista SP1 Includes Random Number Generator that Could Contain NSA Backdoor
December 18th, 2007But since most people don’t know which operating system that they’re using…
Via: Bruce Schneier:
Dual_EC_DRBG Added to Windows Vista
Microsoft has added the random-number generator Dual_EC-DRBG to Windows Vista, as part of SP1. Yes, this is the same RNG that could have an NSA backdoor.
It’s not enabled by default, and my advice is to never enable it. Ever.
I’ve never been quite sure to what to make of Mr. Schneier. Arguably the Top Gun computing security consultant to most of the world’s great big iron combines and government computing centers, as well as being a modern networking guru, he has long played at the “white knight” role in the press. An intriguing strategic combination, at minimum.
Is it just effective self-promotion, or is he serving a greater role here?
The part of my mind (I learned to compartmentalize visually as a child FYI, w/o Monarch training) that wants to believe there are Morpheus-types out there, riding the tides of conflict and keeping a noble eye out for the little guy, is quite happy to see this as just another white hat moment for Bruce.
The suspicious part of my brain, a dripping sponge of the more-and-less obvious conspiratorial activites ferreted out by others like me over the years, sees this story for its most likely psy-op potential: diversion.
Look here at this known controversy, which will be pressed for many months — and eventually resolved in favor of the white hats — to keep hearts and minds and eyes turned in that direction so the black hats can get on with the business of building and maintaining the corporate surveillance economy.
Which is it? I can’t tell you for certain any more than Kevin can, but I can tell you what my gut instinct tells me. He’s as dirty as the rest of the high-flyers. Like Michael Moore and Noam Chomsky, he channels certain energies very effectively across a broad spectrum of the social pallete. Especially the truly dangerous libertarian engineering set, otherwise known as future militia demolitions experts and technical officers.
Why do I feel such sad, strange things in my mid-section?
Perhaps because in a parallel vibrational universe my conscience isn’t so hard-wired and I was turned by the matrix, and the bad vibes emanating from just that single evil reflection of my soul are so f**king nasty that they stink things up all over the metaphysical neighborhood.
I wonder what Rupert Sheldrake would think of this application of his morphological theory?
Miraculix wrote: “Especially the truly dangerous libertarian engineering set, otherwise known as future militia demolitions experts and technical officers.”
I’ve often thought that the only warriors who can meaningfully take on the ACS and the fascist Them are libertarian hackers. I enjoyed Vin Suprynowicz’s 2005 novel _The Black Arrow_, which treats of this subject.