Microsoft denies having backdoor in Windows 7

    The US National Security Agency helped Microsoft develop the Windows 7 operating system. One of the NSA leaders said this on Wednesday , speaking to the US Senate Terrorism and National Security Committee. He said that experts from the Department of Defense also participated in the work on Windows. Together, they "used their unique experience and practical knowledge in the field of systemic threats and vulnerabilities to improve the security of the operating system."

    This is not the first time that special services have been working closely with Microsoft to create the next operating system: Windows Vista, Windows XP and Windows 2000 were also developed taking into account the recommendations of the NSA, writesComputerworld. Moreover, American intelligence agencies have seriously affected the IT industry since the late 90s, when cryptography standards were adopted.

    As for the NSA’s participation in the development of the operating system, people immediately get the idea that intelligence agencies can build some kind of backdoor in Windows. For many years, Microsoft has denied these rumors. People from Redmond had to make an official statement again yesterday.

    “Microsoft has never implemented and will never introduce backdoors on Windows,” a company spokesman said yesterday. He assured that the NSA’s participation in the creation of Windows 7 was limited to work on the Security Compliance Management Toolkit , which was released in late October, shortly after the official release of the operating system.

    Many experts are inclined to believe this statement, because if a backdoor were found in Windows, the consequences for Microsoft's business would be catastrophic. It is just too risky.

    However, there really is a problem with the NSA. The fact is that this agency combines two functions: signal reconnaissance (i.e. surveillance) and computer security. It is logical that in some matters these two areas will intersect.

    Now the NSA is trying to establish cooperation with Apple, Sun and Red Hat in the field of security of operating systems (this was also said in a speech to the Committee on Terrorism). What is no reason for new fears?

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