07.08.11
From the Dept. of We Had It Coming
Moment of unintentional hilarity from a Congressional hearing:
Confirming years of warnings from government and private security experts, a top Homeland Security official has acknowledged that computer hardware and software is already being imported to the United States preloaded with spyware and security-sabotaging components …
[Congressional question to functionary from DHS]: “Are you aware of any component software (or) hardware coming to the United States of America that already have security risks embedded into those components?”
[Answer: Hesitant, stumbling “yes”.]
Pre-loaded junkware and smart devices manufactured overseas have been obvious sitting duck targets for computer criminals for years.
And how does one absolutely distinguish the threat of suspiciously malicious junkware from stuff so full of holes and bugs it’s not fit for any purpose?
Its just deserts when the corporate bottom line, outsourcing and anything that detracts from instantaneous easy do-nothing profits on services and digital goods trumps everything else.
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