FreeBSD and User Security

[Jeffrey Goldberg]

[mailed and posted]

On Jun 11, 2008, at 4:03 PM, YANSWBVCG wrote:

> It is my understanding that since 1995 all computers must have a
> hardware back door that permits undetectable access by the  
> government to
> the computer. This capability can be implemented using System
> Monitor(Maintenance) Mode which is built into all x86 computers now.  
> It
> would appear that, if you are connected to the internet, the  
> government
> has access to your computer.

This is not the place to get into this debate, but I think that  
someone should state for the record that the vast majority of security  
experts would disagree with you.

However, I fully acknowledge that if the National Security Agency or  
GCHQ or the like wanted to break into any one of my systems, I'm sure  
that they could.

But the question wasn't about making a system that could withstand  
something like the NSA but instead about defending against run of the  
mill spyware.  Switching from Windows to FreeBSD would obviously  
improve matters for that kind of attack, but the real answers to the  
original question require an understanding of the nature of the  
threats and the nature of the counter measures far beyond what was  
evident in the question.  After all, most spyware is installed with  
the users' consent (though the user may not know that it is sypware.)

For just about everyone, I recommend pretty much anything written by  
Bruce Schneier.  As as start there is his very brief "How to think  
about security" essay:

  http://www.schneier.com/crypto-gram-0204.html#1

-j


-- 
Jeffrey Goldberg                        http://www.goldmark.org/jeff/