NSA Helping with Windows 7 Security
The National Security Agency is a life-long friend of Windows and Microsoft.
NPR reports that the National Security Agency (NSA) has been working with Microsoft to improve the security measures of Windows 7. The NSA has been involved with the new operating system since its inception, showing that the agency is committed to getting more involved with the private sector in regards to cybersecurity. The agency revealed its involvement yesterday during a hearing held in Washington.
"Working in partnership with Microsoft and (the Department of Defense), NSA leveraged our unique expertise and operational knowledge of system threats and vulnerabilities to enhance Microsoft's operating system security guide without constraining the user's ability to perform their everyday tasks," said Richard Schaeffer, the NSA's Information Assurance Director. "All this was done in coordination with the product release, not months or years later in the product cycle."
The NSA also helped Microsoft boost the defenses of Windows Vista, and even provided a helping hand with Windows XP back in 2005. The agency, charged with protecting the national security computing infrastructure, depends on private-sector software such as Windows 7. Thus, the agency is working closely to keep its defenses--along with consumers in the private sector--strong against online attacks from all aspects.
"More and more, we find that protecting national security systems demands teaming with public and private institutions to raise the information assurance level of products and services more broadly," Schaeffer said.
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Kevin Parrish has over a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and product tester. His work focused on computer hardware, networking equipment, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and other internet-connected devices. His work has appeared in Tom's Hardware, Tom's Guide, Maximum PC, Digital Trends, Android Authority, How-To Geek, Lifewire, and others.
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darkknight22 and Steve Jobs get's nothing? man he got the shaft. Who wouldn't want the NSA putting backdoors into their operating systems....Reply -
tester24 darkknight22and Steve Jobs get's nothing? man he got the shaft. Who wouldn't want the NSA putting backdoors into their operating systems....Reply
Who would want to help them and their perfect OS? I think they did the smart thing and went with over 85%+ marketshare vs less than 10%. Especially when your systems run Windows.
And it's not like the NSA is programming for Microsoft and supposedly putting "backdoors" into Windows (even though MS probably already has). They are just providing help in ways to secure it and patch it. Knowing the NSA they have teams of hackers trying to break it. -
one-shot The Govt has been involved in MS's OS for awhile. After Win 98 you couldn't get erase past sites you've visited online in the registry. After Win 98 you can't even get in there unless you have programs which allow you to view, but not erase. This is old news.Reply