FC: McAfee sides with FBI against customers on "Magic Lantern"

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

Security software, including PGP and anti-virus ware, is either looking out 
for your interests or those of the government. It can't do both, and now we 
know where McAfee stands. I invite McAfee to reply; I will distribute any 
response unedited.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1436-2001Nov22.html
   At least one antivirus software company, McAfee Corp., contacted the
   FBI on Wednesday to ensure its software wouldn't inadvertently detect
   the bureau's snooping software and alert a criminal suspect.

http://www.politechbot.com/p-02822.html
"FBI reportedly creating "Magic Lantern" anti-crypto virus"

-Declan
[Below posts forwarded from Dave Farber's IP list]

---

> Date: Sat, 24 Nov 2001 14:06:47 -0700
> To: David Farber <dave () farber net>
> From: Brett Glass <brett () lariat org>
> Subject: Re: IP: Detecting Magic Lantern?
>
> At 01:31 PM 11/24/2001, David Farber wrote:
>
> > At 01:52 PM 11/23/2001, Henry E. Schaffer wrote:
> >
> > >"At least one antivirus software company, McAfee Corp., contaced the FBI
> > >on Wednesday to ensure its software wouldn't inadvertently detect the
> > >bureau's snooping software and alert a criminal subject."
> > >
> > >http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1436-2001Nov22.html
>
> I have just removed all Network Associates products from my workstations
> and network servers, and will no longer recommend them to my clients
> or readers.
>
> I have taken this position because Network Associates, by rigging its
> products not to detect tampering by specific parties of its choosing, has
> betrayed users' trust and started a descent down a perilous, slippery
> slope. Will the company next change its PGP ("Pretty Good Privacy")
> software so that it contains back doors as well? Will its "Sniffer"
> products be configured to ignore certain types of attacks and allow
> selected parties onto customers' networks undetected, possibly hiding
> illegal searches by freewheeling law enforcement personnel? Will its
> "Magic Solutions" products, which allow remote control and maintenance
> of user workstations, become a vector for the installation of spying
> software by government snoops?
>
> Just as disturbing as the company's breach of trust with its customers
> is the prospect that others will exploit the back doors installed for
> the benefit of government agencies.
>
> Network Associates has shown that it is willing to compromise its
> integrity by selling intentionally faulty products. For this reason,
> it is no longer appropriate or wise for those concerned about the
> security of their networks, systems, or confidential data to use them.
>
> --Brett Glass

********

> Date: Sun, 25 Nov 2001 12:47:23 -0800 (PST)
> From: Lauren Weinstein <lauren () vortex com>
> To: dave () farber net

> Dave,
>
> The latest very short "Fact Squad Radio" audio commentary deals with the
> risks of the FBI's reported "Magic Lantern" project and similar systems.
> The piece is called "The Spy in Your Computer?" and is available via:
>
>    http://www.factsquad.org/radio
>
> Thanks much.
>
> --Lauren--
> Lauren Weinstein
> lauren () pfir org or lauren () vortex com or lauren () privacyforum org
> Co-Founder, PFIR - People For Internet Responsibility - http://www.pfir.org
> Co-Founder, Fact Squad - http://www.factsquad.org
> Co-Founder, URIICA - Union for Representative International Internet
>                      Cooperation and Analysis - http://www.uriica.org
> Moderator, PRIVACY Forum - http://www.vortex.com
> Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy

********




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