Speaking at the keynote LinuxCon panel this year, Linus Torvalds, who created the open-source Linux operating system 22 years ago, revealed that the government had approached him about installing a backdoor into system’s structure. Linux is the preferred operating system for the privacy conscious infosec community.
It’s just the latest in a string of revelations illustrating how the NSA have for a number of years attempted to intervene in the very structuring of online communications and cryptography to enable easier surveillance.
EWeek.com reported on Torvalds’ panel admission (although the suggestion is that the Linux creator resisted government pressure):
Torvalds was also asked if he had ever been approached by the U.S. government to insert a backdoor into Linux. Torvalds responded “no” while [nodding] his head “yes,” as the audience broke into spontaneous laughter.
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Natasha Lennard is an assistant news editor at Salon, covering non-electoral politics, general news and rabble-rousing. Follow her on Twitter @natashalennard, email nlennard@salon.com.
http://www.salon.com/2013/09/19/linux_creator_admits_nsa_demanded_backdoor/
Crap….can’t trust anything anymore. Encryption has been hacked, time to stick to the ham radio to communicate, and then with carefully crafted sentences.
nsa are idiots
Just remember there lezlow that the NSA has been granted the power to do pretty much what ever they want to snoop on us all. Yep, NSA is pretty much above to law like it or not lezlow. NSA and the govt. is out of control for sure.
Goddammit! I was just going to buy a laptop computer the other day and all they had everywhere was NSA’s Windows 8 on them and the salesman stated they’re required to have them and not Windows 7 or XP on them. I told them that I refused to buy a computer with Windows 8 and told them that Microsoft gave NSA a backdoor into any Windows 8 computer and while some kept silent, others said, “Yep, trust me you’re not the only one”. Even the salesmen know and it is killing their sales. However, these Fascist corporations are working with the government and trying to stuff this shit down our throats.
I told him I would go to Linux and now this shit comes up. WTF!! Can’t the NSA just leave us all the F**K alone?!! You don’t seem me snooping on their shit. What a bunch of f**king control freaks.
Awe man NC, ya know what is realy bad is when I have had to go to my ISP support to answere some of my questions and possible help to get my pc going again they wanted to put windows 8 on my pc and when I said that nsa had a back door on that 8 and most other thing my support tech transfered me to her suppervisor and he verified it and then said in pretty much these words – well now I guess that there is nothing more to say or do for you. He also said that nsa has their fingers in all comunications be it the internet, phones, satalite comunications and even shortwave comunications so it realy doen`t matter if you have windows 8 or linex or whatever else. Sinse I talked to them guys about a month ago or so my pc has been nothing but problems and running like sh*t. Yea NC if I could afford a new/different computer I would get a different one, that is how bad mine is to the minute after I was done with my ISP support tech. Yes NC, control freaks is right.