Department of Homeland Security Warns of Imported Electronics Being Spiked with Spyware
Department of Homeland Security Warns of Imported Electronics Being Spiked with Spyware
Posted 07/11/2011 at 7:28am
| by Paul Lilly
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A high ranking official at the Department of Homeland Security admitted to Congress that foreign made hardware and software sold in the U.S. are sometimes laced with spyware, malware, and other foul components that can compromise security. The revelation came from Greg Schaffer, acting deputy undersecretary of the DHS National Protection and Programs Directorate, who testified before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
Schaffer didn't go into great detail about compromised hardware and software being imported into the U.S., but did reluctantly admit to being aware of instances where items were purposely embedded with security risks.
Possibly related to Schaffer's testimony, FastCompany.com, which first reported the story, dug up a couple of interesting paragraphs in the White House's Cyberspace Policy Review the site thinks is an admission that the Executive Branch knows there's something fishy going on with imported tech. The paragraphs read:
"The emergence of new centers for manufacturing, design, and research across the globe raises concerns about the potential for easier subversion of computers and networks through subtle hardware or software manipulations. Counterfeit products have created the most visible supply problems, but few documented examples exist of unambiguous, deliberate subversions.
A broad, holistic approach to risk management is required rather than a wholesale condemnation of foreign products and services. The challenge with supply chain attacks is that a sophisticated adversary might narrowly focus on particular systems and make manipulation virtually impossible to discover. Foreign manufacturing does present easier opportunities for nation-state adversaries to subvert products; however, the same goals could be achieved through the recruitment of key insiders or other espionage activities."
That was written several months ago, and it would appear that Homeland Security has since found examples of what the White House was worried about all along.
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TerribleToaster
July 11, 2011 at 10:02am
Just beacuse I know some people will, don't click any of the spam links below.
P.S. This post triggered the Spam Filter. -_-
don2041
July 11, 2011 at 9:54am
If the US Gov. could,nt find weapons of mass destruction, they now need a new threat to invent, in order to waste billions of dollars on. I,m sure this is politicly motovated.
Bullwinkle J Moose
July 11, 2011 at 9:47am
Check out the link below the article called>
U.S. Government to Remotely Uninstall Coreflood Trojan from Infected Machines
Need any more proof that the U.S. Gov't is doing what they claim others must be stopped from doing?
It's perfectly Legal for ANYONE to hide spyware in software and hardware if its O.K. for the U.S. Gov't to do it
Anyone who thinks its OK for Microsoft products to remain closed source with its Gov't sponsored spyware inside or hardware AES encryption products with Gov't backdoors deserves the same
It's Payback Time B!tche$
QUINTIX256
July 11, 2011 at 9:35am
This sounds like fud intended to "create more (domestic) jobs", like Obama's stupid complaint about ATM machines.
I guess I can't link to an example, becuase the <a> tag is not allowed by the spam filter.
I guess titles don't work either. Title was >moar paranoid protectionist propoganda
TerribleToaster
July 11, 2011 at 9:25am
It seems they have discovered my plot to take over America using a robotic-toaster uprising. Curses, foiled again!
But seriously, I also always worried about this, because I am paranoid; and confirming it as true didn't help my paranoia.
nHeroGo
July 11, 2011 at 8:05am
Let me guess... They are asking for 100 Billion dollars to study pencil sharpeners and toasters. There are threats and security risks and they are diluting out precious bodily fluids with their communisms and they are coming for you as you are sleeping in your beds. God bless.
Dman222123222
September 02, 2011 at 6:54pm
Since when do you plug a pencil sharpener or toaster into your computer?
Think before spouting nonsense please.
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