Former contractor says FBI put back door in OpenBSD

ComputerWorld ^ | 12/15/10 | Robert McMillan

[antiRepublicrat]

If OpenBSD has it, the Linux kernel probably has it.

Linux does not use this code.

[antiRepublicrat]

So much for the canard that open source operating systems are intrinsically more secure....

We only know of this because of its open source nature. Do you have any guesses as to the presence of any back doors in Windows? They'll only be guesses, because Microsoft sure isn't going to tell you. Remember "NSAKEY"?

[r9etb]

We only know of this because of its open source nature. Do you have any guesses as to the presence of any back doors in Windows?

You're not really refuting anything I said: all you're really saying, is that open source is no better than closed source.

[antiRepublicrat]

all you're really saying, is that open source is no better than closed source.

No, I'm saying that in open source, anyone can inspect the code and make their results public. These people are not bound by NDA, paycheck, laws or other restriction to the company or originating country. With closed source you have to trust the company, that's it. That does make open source superior in this respect.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Thanks.

I use Xubuntu on my laptop with an encrypted home folder and a strong password. My expectation is that this will keep my data private.

How valid is my expectation?

[antiRepublicrat]

How valid is my expectation?

Pretty good, but it has nothing to do with this IPSEC issue unless you communicate using IPSEC tunnels.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Thanks again!