NSA able to compromise Cisco, Juniper, Huawei switches

Tue Dec 31 03:51:13 UTC 2013

----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ray Soucy" <rps at maine.edu>

> I hope when [if] the truth is learned it is a lot less prevalent than
> it sounds, but I'm not optimistic.
> 
> This is why we need all infrastructure to be implemented using open
> standards, open hardware designs, and open source software IMHO.
> 
> I hope Cisco, Juniper, and others respond quickly with updated images
> for all platforms affected before the details leak.

I hate to be Even More Paranoid Than That (and if I go off-air for more than
about a week, assume those Black Eyeshades types whose mention got me kicked 
off the list after Katrina came for me :-), but contemplate this:

===

If you were the NSA, and you had a spandy new image with lots of great 
backdooring and kill-switching all ready to do, and you'd plunked it in
Cisco's TAC download site (with or without their knowledge)...

...what do you suppose you'd do?

Wouldn't you want some way to motivate everyone to grab that new image and 
plonk it on all their devices as fast as possible?

Wouldn't it be the definition of irony if the way you got everyone to install
your bug on their router ... was because they were afraid you already had?

Is Ken Thompson turning over in his grave yet?

===

Cheers,
-- jra
-- 
Jay R. Ashworth                  Baylink                       jra at baylink.com
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