From linux.org

Feb 25th, 2004

Most stories about government deployments of Linux involve a distributor helping various federal and municipal agencies install the open source operating system. But in this case, a federal agency is helping Linux.

The U.S. National Security Agency (NSA), also known as the codemakers and codebreakers cryptologic division within the Department of Defense, has helped to harden Linux with newly-released Security Enhanced Linux (SELinux) kernel modifications.

The latest release, which updates the base kernel to 2.6.3 and 2.4.24, contains numerous significant improvements to security in the open source operating system. The SELinux improvements mark a major breakthrough for Linux. Because of the NSA's contributions to the kernel, the new security features will now show up in mainstream distributions of Linux.

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The kernel additions will be open-source, right? I don't understand why NSA would contribute their security technology to Linux, which is free software and can therefore be exported anywhere, even North Korea, Iran, and Cuba. Now Khomeini, Jong-il, and Castro's computers are protected, courtesy of the NSA?

I wouldn't trust ANYTHING the NSA does, even if it's linux friendly. With friends like that, who needs enemies? If the NSA does anything with or to linux it will NOT be a good thing, they should keep thier nose out of the linux community and it's work.

RANDON

Quote:

Originally posted by vincebs The kernel additions will be open-source, right? I don't understand why NSA would contribute their security technology to Linux, which is free software and can therefore be exported anywhere, even North Korea, Iran, and Cuba. Now Khomeini, Jong-il, and Castro's computers are protected, courtesy of the NSA?

Well firstly, there's no reason not to. Like you said, it's open source anyway. It's a basic update that is inevitable, and castro couldn't program a toaster.

Nonsense. Their distro is by necessity open source, so anyone can look through it for "bad" things, not that any of that conspiracy theory stuff is the least bit creditable in the first place.

I'm not a huge fan of the NSA, in fact I'd prefer to see the agency abolished, but by all accounts they did a good job with SELinux, and there's no debating the fact that they've provoked some interesting and useful security discussions. Clearly, there is a niche for it."Your tax dollars at work."

One of the good things about the open source world is that different organizations play with the software and try to tune it to new uses; the GPL requires them to share these enhancements with the rest of the community if they intend to distribute the results at all. Everybody wins.

im defidently against the NSA, but as long as the code is examined big time forfore being added it might be good (note: defidently must examine it and see if theres any valnerablities or back doors as im sure the NSA would love to put a back door in linux and amke it eayer to spy on european companies and everyone in the world), on the other hand the code might be legitimate just to try and give them some credability, either way, it wouldent be smart to not look thru it and use what you can as long as your sure theres nothing wrong with it

Yo dudes just cause the name NSA is on the label doesn`t mean there are no hackers inside.
What a great excuse to have fun at the us govs expense. OR -----
None of you gets paid to program????????

What theories? It's a FACT the NSA has been behind the push to incorporate intrusive spy technology into mainstream electronics. The Clipper and Capstone chips are just a few well known examples. Since their efforts to legislate mandatory use of EES (Escrowed Encryption Standard), a replacement for DES, was met by public outrage, they're now trying to do the same by working with the computer industry under the "trusted computing" guise. When they make the skipjack encryption algorithm EES is based on open source, please let me know. Until then the evidence suggests mistrust is warranted and any benevolent motives are merely theoretical. I mean, if they're not doing anything wrong they'd have no reason to be so secretive, right? Oh wait, I forgot that logic only applies to the general public, not their government. My mistake.

The NSA loves linux for the same reason you do. They can comb through every line of code and make sure there are no vulnerabilities or backdoors. You think they like MS and the constant security problems?

Also: Just becuase something is open source, does not mean it is not subject to export regulations regarding strong crypto.

It sounds like a branch of the U.S. Department of Defense has actually done something right for a change. Last time that happened, I guess, was when they provided funding for research that led to the Internet.

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crito, thats why im moving outa the US when i get the chance (still gota wait 2 year till im 18 ), well that and the lagal system is also curupt (cuse like the government )

I think they're more interested in creating backdoors for their own use than plugging security vulnerabilities. I doubt seriously whether they use Linux internally for ANY mission critical operations. Of course, feel free to post their budget info and prove me wrong. Oh wait, I forgot, that's a secret too. So I guess your assumptions on why they love Linux will have to remain theoretical.

As to crypto export restrictions, you're absolutely correct. I'm confident others in the world can create their own "strong" cryptographic algorithms without the help of US companies, however. I'm more concerned about future import restrictions prohibiting Americans from buying products abroad that don't contain NSA spy chips. It's the next logical step in their Orwellian "security" agenda (security being doublespeak for eliminating privacy.)

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Originally posted by SciYro , crito, thats why im moving outa the US when i get the chance (still gota wait 2 year till im 18 ), well that and the lagal system is also curupt (cuse like the government )

SciYro: Let's see... If you don't ever do anything wrong, then you don't have to leave the US, and if you do, it's bound to be wrong there too!

The sellouts who maintain the corrupt status quo don't love America, SciYro. They only love watching their bank accounts grow. Real Americans stand up for what's right regardless of the consequences. Anyone who tells you criticizing the government means you hate the U.S. is full of crappola. They're just self-centered ball-less cowards.

Very good Crito! That's one of our major *let's solve it!* situations...

Just to be clear, these are all either facts, or fairly reasonable conclusions based on very good evidence, which I don't dispute, but...
This is not a fact, it's a conspiracy theory. And a rather silly one.
?! What the heck difference would it have made if skipjack had been open source, really? Since it's guaranteed the feds have a mechanism to decrypt all transmissions made with it, the security is broken by design, correct? Open source has got nothing to do with it. Skipjack, as it was proposed to be used, was inherently useless regardless of how good or bad the algorithm turned out to be.

As for the conspiracy theory stuff about SELinux, it is a verifiable FACT whether or not it has backdoors in it. (Of course, it's also true that nobody has to use it so I don't see why anybody should be so bothered by it if they don't like it...).