The NSA in your computer

Aurora · Jan 16, 2007

How NSA access was built into Windows

Duncan Campbell 04.09.1999
Careless mistake reveals subversion of Windows by NSA.

A CARELESS mistake by Microsoft programmers has revealed that special access codes prepared by the US National Security Agency have been secretly built into Windows. The NSA access system is built into every version of the Windows operating system now in use, except early releases of Windows 95 (and its predecessors). The discovery comes close on the heels of the revelations earlier this year that another US software giant, Lotus, had built an NSA "help information" trapdoor into its Notes system, and that security functions on other software systems had been deliberately crippled.

The first discovery of the new NSA access system was made two years ago by British researcher Dr Nicko van Someren. But it was only a few weeks ago when a second researcher rediscovered the access system. With it, he found the evidence linking it to NSA.

Computer security specialists have been aware for two years that unusual features are contained inside a standard Windows software "driver" used for security and encryption functions. The driver, called ADVAPI.DLL, enables and controls a range of security functions. If you use Windows, you will find it in the C:\Windows\system directory of your computer.

ADVAPI.DLL works closely with Microsoft Internet Explorer, but will only run cryptographic functions that the US governments allows Microsoft to export. That information is bad enough news, from a European point of view. Now, it turns out that ADVAPI will run special programmes inserted and controlled by NSA. As yet, no-one knows what these programmes are, or what they do.

Dr Nicko van Someren reported at last year's Crypto 98 conference that he had disassembled the ADVADPI driver. He found it contained two different keys. One was used by Microsoft to control the cryptographic functions enabled in Windows, in compliance with US export regulations. But the reason for building in a second key, or who owned it, remained a mystery.

A second key

Two weeks ago, a US security company came up with conclusive evidence that the second key belongs to NSA. Like Dr van Someren, Andrew Fernandez, chief scientist with Cryptonym of Morrisville, North Carolina, had been probing the presence and significance of the two keys. Then he checked the latest Service Pack release for Windows NT4, Service Pack 5. He found that Microsoft's developers had failed to remove or "strip" the debugging symbols used to test this software before they released it. Inside the code were the labels for the two keys. One was called "KEY". The other was called "NSAKEY".

Fernandes reported his re-discovery of the two CAPI keys, and their secret meaning, to "Advances in Cryptology, Crypto'99" conference held in Santa Barbara. According to those present at the conference, Windows developers attending the conference did not deny that the "NSA" key was built into their software. But they refused to talk about what the key did, or why it had been put there without users' knowledge.

A third key?!

But according to two witnesses attending the conference, even Microsoft's top crypto programmers were astonished to learn that the version of ADVAPI.DLL shipping with Windows 2000 contains not two, but three keys. Brian LaMachia, head of CAPI development at Microsoft was "stunned" to learn of these discoveries, by outsiders. The latest discovery by Dr van Someren is based on advanced search methods which test and report on the "entropy" of programming code.
Within the Microsoft organisation, access to Windows source code is said to be highly compartmentalized, making it easy for modifications to be inserted without the knowledge of even the respective product managers.
Researchers are divided about whether the NSA key could be intended to let US government users of Windows run classified cryptosystems on their machines or whether it is intended to open up anyone's and everyone's Windows computer to intelligence gathering techniques deployed by NSA's burgeoning corps of "information warriors".
According to Fernandez of Cryptonym, the result of having the secret key inside your Windows operating system "is that it is tremendously easier for the NSA to load unauthorized security services on all copies of Microsoft Windows, and once these security services are loaded, they can effectively compromise your entire operating system". The NSA key is contained inside all versions of Windows from Windows 95 OSR2 onwards.
"For non-American IT managers relying on Windows NT to operate highly secure data centres, this find is worrying", he added. "The US government is currently making it as difficult as possible for "strong" crypto to be used outside of the US. That they have also installed a cryptographic back-door in the world's most abundant operating system should send a strong message to foreign IT managers".
"How is an IT manager to feel when they learn that in every copy of Windows sold, Microsoft has a 'back door' for NSA - making it orders of magnitude easier for the US government to access your computer?" he asked.

Can the loophole be turned round against the snoopers?
Dr van Someren feels that the primary purpose of the NSA key inside Windows may be for legitimate US government use. But he says that there cannot be a legitimate explanation for the third key in Windows 2000 CAPI. "It looks more fishy", he said.

Fernandez believes that NSA's built-in loophole can be turned round against the snoopers. The NSA key inside CAPI can be replaced by your own key, and used to sign cryptographic security modules from overseas or unauthorised third parties, unapproved by Microsoft or the NSA. This is exactly what the US government has been trying to prevent. A demonstration "how to do it" program that replaces the NSA key can be found on Cryptonym's website.

According to one leading US cryptographer, the IT world should be thankful that the subversion of Windows by NSA has come to light before the arrival of CPUs that handles encrypted instruction sets. These would make the type of discoveries made this month impossible. "Had the next-generation CPU's with encrypted instruction sets already been deployed, we would have never found out about NSAKEY."
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http://www.heise.de/tp/r4/artikel/5/5263/1.html

It's rather easy to dismiss MS as a company that bows to the NSA, but you've got to realize that this shit will be built into next generation CPUs - not even Linux et al will protect us any more.

BearTM · Jan 16, 2007

If it's made for export, it has to comply with US cryptographic standards.

Sean the Puritan · Jan 16, 2007

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/1999/sept99/rsapr.mspx

REDMOND, Wash., Sept. 3, 1999 — Microsoft Corp. said today that speculation about Microsoft® Windows® security and the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) is "inaccurate and unfounded."
In response to speculation by a Canadian cryptography company that Microsoft had somehow allowed the NSA to hold a "backdoor" key to the encryption framework in its Windows operating system, Microsoft issued the following statement:
" This report is inaccurate and unfounded. The key in question is a Microsoft key. It is maintained and safeguarded by Microsoft, and we have not shared this key with the NSA or any other party.
" Microsoft takes security very seriously. This speculation is ironic since Microsoft has consistently opposed the various key escrow proposals suggested by the government because we don't believe they are good for consumers, the industry or national security.
"Contrary to this report, the key in question would not allow security services to be started or stopped without the user's knowledge."
Microsoft said the key is labeled "NSA key" because NSA is the technical review authority for U.S. export controls, and the key ensures compliance with U.S. export laws. The company reiterated that Microsoft has not shared this key with the NSA or any other company or agency.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT" ) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
Microsoft and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft's corporate information pages.
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NAHTMMM · Jan 16, 2007

Okay, what's all this encryption supposed to be encrypting? The programming code? Internet communications? Backdoors in the coding for hackers? Etc.?

Uncle Albert · Jan 16, 2007

If neither the NSA nor Microsoft will fully admit to it, I guess they won't object when people figure out how to lock their copies of Windows down.

$corp · Jan 16, 2007

I'm on Win2000 and I just did a search for ADVAPI.DLL, and it didn't return any results.

Powaqqatsi · Jan 17, 2007

This article is from 1999. :S

Aurora · Jan 17, 2007

Powaqqatsi said: ↑

This article is from 1999. :S
Click to expand...

The only thing that might have changed is that they hid it better since then.

Sean the Puritan · Jan 17, 2007

This was a big issue for about two years from 1999 to 2001, then totally died out.

My guess is that it's a BIG non-issue or we'd hear more about it.

Seth Rich · Jan 17, 2007

I'm sure someone with a line sniffer would've seen any information being covertly passed through the network line by now if this was true.

Zenow · Jan 17, 2007

well yeah, 7 years old. My guess is they'd just try to hide it better.

And I've been wondering about this, too:

Darkening · Jan 18, 2007

Funny i get loads of DoHS hits on mine.

Kyle · Jan 18, 2007

Volpone · Jan 18, 2007

Hey now, none of that. You'll cause the Geekforge Moderator to have a nervous breakdown and resign.

Kyle · Jan 19, 2007

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The NSA in your computer

Aurora Vincerò!

BearTM Bustin' a move! Deceased Member

Sean the Puritan Endut! Hoch Hech!

NAHTMMM Perpetually sondering

Uncle Albert Part beard. Part machine.

$corp Dirty Old Chinaman

Powaqqatsi Haters gonna hate.

Aurora Vincerò!

Sean the Puritan Endut! Hoch Hech!

Seth Rich R.I.P.

Zenow Treehugger

Darkening Guest

Kyle You will regret this!

Volpone Zombie Hunter

Kyle You will regret this!

Log in or Sign up

The NSA in your computer

Aurora Vincerò!

BearTM Bustin' a move! Deceased Member

Sean the Puritan Endut! Hoch Hech!

NAHTMMM Perpetually sondering

Uncle Albert Part beard. Part machine.

$corp Dirty Old Chinaman

Powaqqatsi Haters gonna hate.

Aurora Vincerò!

Sean the Puritan Endut! Hoch Hech!

Seth Rich R.I.P.

Zenow Treehugger

Darkening Guest

Kyle You will regret this!

Volpone Zombie Hunter

Kyle You will regret this!

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