Microsoft Source Code!
Microsoft source code revealed
In an effort to get the Federal Republic not to switch to Linux, Microsoft's Germany chief Kurt Sibold is ready to reveal the source code to Windows. Therein could lurk spy programs, critics presume. Sibold wants to prove the opposite.
Berlin, Germany
November 30, 2001
SpiegelDPA
Bend over: Kurt Sibold, Chief of Microsoft Germany, is ready to reveal the secrets of Windows NT.
In the fight against the proposal to replace Windows computers in Germany with the free Linux system, Microsoft has gone on the offensive. In Unterschliessheim near Munich on Friday, the German branch of the world's largest software company offered Parliament and the Federal Interior Ministry access to Windows source code, which normal Microsoft customers don't have a chance of seeing. This is Microsoft's response to the discussion about alleged hidden functions in the Windows operating system.
In Parliament, the aging Microsoft Windows NT 4 system is currently installed on about 5,000 office computers, for which technical support by the producer is going to run out in the foreseeable future. A debate has been ongoing inside Parliament for months as to whether it will next be equipped with the new Microsoft Windows XP or with the open-source Linux system. IBM is moving on the contract jointly with SuSE Linux specialists.
Supporters of the Linux solution, such as SPD Representative Joerg Tauss, has specifically mentioned that Microsoft software posed a security risk because the majority of computer viruses are distributed through holes in the Microsoft system. Besides that it is unclear what routines are called by the Microsoft programs. The discussion specifically included integration of the "Diskeeper" program into Microsoft Windows 2000 and XP versions systems. That software for data maintenance was developed by a US corporation managed by a professing Scientologist.
Microsoft is now emphasizing that the licensing of Windows source code in itself is nothing new. It was said that in recent times major customers were even automatically receiving a right to the cost-free licensing of the source code as part of a special program.
"Especially in the field of politics there has been a growing demand for increased transparency in the area of source code in order to assure the confidence of the users as to the integrity of the product being applied," said Microsoft's German chief, Kurt Sibold. He said he would be delighted if the German Parliament would take advantage of his offer. "At the same time, this step will put an end to many unfounded speculations which have cost both sides an enormous amount of resources at the negotiation tables."
Federal Defense:
We are working with Microsoft
Foreign Office says lack of money and not security objections were the reason for the sparse video conferences with foreign offices
Berlin, Germany
March 20, 2001
sriOn Monday a spokesman of the Federal Defense Ministry spoke to ZDNet and denied a report from "Der Spiegel" news magazine whereby Federal Defense would no longer implement any product by US software corporation Microsoft (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: MSF) in "sensitive areas." Spiegel magazine cited the reason as being "findings by German security officials," according to which "the American NSA spy agency" had at its disposal "all relevant source code of the US company" and so could itself read "encrypted data."
The spokesman said to ZDNet: "About six months ago we signed a general agreement for the usual products from the Microsoft company. Our sensitive data are protected by platform-independent firewalls and encryption products." He said that Microsoft products would also be used in all areas in the future.
Spiegel magazine had also reported that the Foreign Office would scale back its plan to introduce video conferences with its foreign offices for security reasons. It was said that in early March State Secretary Gunter Pleuger learned that all Satellite transmissions were routing through Denver, Colorado.
A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office told ZDNet that the agency would indeed have video conferences, but not very many of them. They would be most often used between Bonn and Berlin. "But we are aware that video conferences can be overheard rather easily and conduct ourselves accordingly." She said there have also been video conferences with foreign establishments such as the United Nations, but plans to set up foreign offices with video conference equipment fell through, not for security reasons, but for lack of money.
Hostile Software
Defense Department banishes Microsoft Programs
Berlin, Germany
March 17, 2001
http://www.spiegel.deAnxieties about the US intelligence service have motivated the Foreign Office and the Defense Department to plug security holes. Instead of American software, German programs will operate on state computers in the future.
What that means is that on computers which are operating in sensitive areas, Microsoft's software will no longer be used. According to the findings of German security officials, the American NSA espionage agency has access to all the pertinent source code of the US company and so can read encrypted files. In order to protect confidentiality, the defense ministry will therefore use the encryption technologies of domestic companies Siemens and Telekom.
Meanwhile the Foreign Office has rescinded its plan to introduce video conferences with its foreign representatives. State Secretary Gunter Pleuger learned that a Telekom Presentation in Berlin in early March had been viewed via satellite transmission channels in the American city of Denver in the US state of Colorado.
The re-routing through the USA made Pleuger feel too insecure. "We may as well be holding our conferences in Langley," joked a Pleuger staff member. The American CIA intelligence agency resides in Langley, Virginia.
dpa Berlin. The federal Interior Ministry and the Microsoft software corporation have come to an agreement in the dispute about a component from the controversial Scientology organization in the programming of the Windows 2000 operating system. Windows 2000 made headline because of possible involvement with the Scientology organization. Mircrosoft developed a procedure by which the component in question can be disabled.
Scientology Dispute
Microsoft reacts to security objections
Berlin, Germany
November 3, 2000
unkMicrosoft has come to an agreement in its dispute about Windows 2000 with the Federal Interior Ministry. Diskeeper software, with which an association has been made with Scientology, will be able to be removed from the operating system.
Munich/Berlin - By doing that the software enterprise also reacted to the objections by church representatives who had warned of a possible mix-up with the Scientology organization. After strong criticism about Windows 2000, the Federal Office for Security in Information Technology was tasked to review the security of the operating system and its component, Diskeeper.
"During the negotiations about the type and extent of this review, Microsoft developed, tested and published a procedure on the internet by which the tool can be completely removed from Windows 2000," the corporation said on Friday in Munich.
The Diskeeper defragmentation program, which organizes data scattered on the hard disk, is produced by the California company, Executive Software. Craig, Jensen, its director, openly professes his membership in Scientology.
In a press release, Microsoft stated that through the option of software deinstallation, all Windows users have the free choice of deciding which defragmentation program available on the market they want to use under Windows 2000. "On the basis of finding a pragmatic solution, the federal Interior Ministry and Microsoft have agreed to forego the the review."
There was discussion, mainly in Germany, of whether, with the help of the Windows 2000 component, files on the hard disk could have been viewed without authorization. The spokesman of Executive Software in England, Chris Cavanagh, dismissed such objections: he said that while company chief Craig Jensen did indeed believe in the teachings of Scientology, those had no relevance to the company's products.
According to Microsoft, Brigitte Zypries, State Secretary in the Interior Ministry, and the corporations' German chief, Richard Roy, had come to an understanding favoring increased cooperation in the area of security. That would also include Microsoft's participation in Project Sphinx, with which the security and confidentiality of the e-mail traffic from and to government agencies should be guaranteed.
BSI will not be reviewing Windows 2000
Berlin, Germany
November 3, 2000
Heise onlineVisit http://www.heise.de and search their archive for the original article in German. Here is a review in English of the Heise article on Keith Henson:
The solution to the problem about the Scientology software in Windows 2000 [1] is going to be solved by enabling deinstallation of this component.
The software in question was produced by Executive Software, a California company, which is led by Craig Jensen, who publishes in membership in Scientology. As Heise Online reported, "After a c't article [2] expressed reservations by the Catholic Church because of the involvement with the Scientology Organization, companies and government agencies also voiced security objections [3]."
However, Microsoft decided not to let the German computer security experts look at its source code [4].
Microsoft had published its deinstallation procedures on the internet [5]. In that manner, users now have the option of what defragmentation program they want o use.
Heise Online also reported, "In the meantime there are indications that the Association of Dioceses in Germany in Bonn will be satisfied with the technical solution which will enable it to withdraw its recommendation to do without Windows 2000. There will be more in the report "Kuh vom Eis?" in the next issue of c't 23/00 (available in stores on Monday). (cp[6]/c't)"
URL of the German-language article http://www.heise.de/newsticker/data/cp-03.11.00-000/ Links in this article: [1] http://www.heise.de/newsticker/data/chr-30.03.00-002/ [2] http://www.heise.de/newsticker/data/cp-03.12.99-000/ [3] http://www.heise.de/newsticker/data/chr-30.03.00-002/ [4] http://www.heise.de/newsticker/data/cp-03.03.00-000/ [5] http://www.microsoft.com/IntlKB/Germany/support/kb/d43/D43422.htm [6] mailto:cp@ct.heise.de
Microsoft takes action against Windows 2000 component
Berlin, Germany
November 3, 2000
HandelsblattUsers of the Windows 2000 operating system can now disable those portions of the program which might have a connection with the Scientology organization.
Reuters Berlin. As a spokesman of software producer Microsoft stated, it had to do with the component for defragmenting the hard disk which was developed by US company Executive Software Incorporated. The chief of that company was allegedly a member of Scientology, said the spokesman from Microsoft Germany, Thomas Baumgaertner. "Because people in Germany are very, very sensitive to these things, it was recommended this tool not be used."
The software for improving the performance of the hard disk can be disabled by a process which Microsoft describes on its internet page at www.microsoft.com. The corporation had previously asked the Federal Office for Security of Information Technology (BSI) to review this software for security. But since the program could now be completely removed from Windows, an agreement could be made with Microsoft to bypass the review, as revealed by the Federal Interior Ministry in Berlin to whom the BSI reports. There had been sentiments voiced from the German states and churches that the software could present a security problem, said a ministry expert for computer security.
The Executive Software spokesman from England, Chris Cavanagh, dismissed the concerns. He said that company chief Craig Jensen did believe in the teachings of Scientology, but that those had no relevance to the products of the company. He said that if a company chief were Catholic, that was only his religion and would have nothing to do with the development or operation of software.
Scientology is based on the teachings of deceased science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard. In Germany the organization numbers about 6,000 members, according to estimates of the Federal Interior Ministry.. It has been under surveillance since 1997 by Constitutional Security because of its statements that "reference points of endeavors against the basic liberal democratic system" exist in Scientology.
Here are two articles relevant to Executive Software, a Scientology company which makes Diskeeper and Windows defragmentation program.
Deinstallation of Windows 2000 Defragmentation program
This is an unofficial translation of material downloaded from http://www.microsoft.com/IntlKB/Germany/support/kb/d43/D43422.htm You are responsible for what you do to your own computer.
Windows 2000 Artikelnummer: D43422 Modifiziert: 19-OCT-2000 Erstellungsdatum: 19-OCT-2000 Produktkürzel: W_Win2000The Information in this article refers to:
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Microsoft Windows 2000 Server Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter ServerWARNING: This article contains information on revising the registry. Before you revise the registry, produce a back-up copy of the files System.dat and User.dat. Ensure that the registry can be reproduced if a problem arises. You can find information on that under "restoring the registry" in "Regedit.exe" or under "restoring a registry key" in "Regedt32.exe." If you are working with Windows NT or Windows 2000, then you should, in addition, update your emergency restore diskette (ERD).
Summary:
In order to deinstall the Windows 2000 defragmentation program, you must execute the following steps. An error in the execution of all these steps can lead to the Windows file protection re-installing the files from the Windows 2000 defragmentation program.
1. Ensure that the Windows 2000 installation CD is not in your CD-ROM drive.
2. If you have installed Windows 2000 over the network, comment out the entries of the installation source path in the registry in order to prevent the Windows file protection from re-installing the files. Make a back-up copy of the entries of the following registry keys and delete the entries:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\SourcePath HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\ServicePackSourcePath HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SourcePath3. Then delete the following files from \system32\dllcache
DfrgFat.exe DfrgNtfs.exe DfrgRes.dll DfrgSnap.dll DfrgUI.dll4. Then delete the same files from /system32. The Windows file protection will now show a dialogue window with a warning that the files have been deleted. Select discontinue/terminate [not sure of exact word] and then "yes."
5. (Optional) Delete the following entry from the start menu:
Start\Programme\accesories\Systemprograms\Defragmentation [not sure of exact words above]6. Delete the following registry entries:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Dfrg HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Explorer\MyComputer\DefragPath HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MMC\NodeTypes\ {476e644a-aaff-11d0-b944-00c04fd8d5b0}\Extensions\ContextMenu\ {43668E21-2636-11D1-A1CE-0080C88593A5} HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MMC\NodeTypes\ {476e644a-aaff-11d0-b944-00c04fd8d5b0}\Extensions\NameSpace\ {43668E21-2636-11D1-A1CE-0080C88593A5} HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{80EE4901-33A8-11d1-A213-0080C88593A5} HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{80EE4902-33A8-11d1-A213-0080C88593A5} HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MMC\SnapIns\ {43668E21-2636-11D1-A1CE-0080C88593A5}7. Restore the entries of the installation source path if you deleted them in step 2.
8. Re-start the system.
Be aware that with each service pack installation these files will be re-installed. You have to re-execute these steps in order to remove the files. The incorrect use of the registry editor can cause serious problems affecting the entire system which would require a new installation of your operation system. Microsoft can not guarantee that problems caused by incorrect use of the registry editor can be solved. Use the registry editor at your own risk. Microsoft can provide no support or guarantees for problems which are caused by manipulation of the Windows or Windows NT registration. When you use Windows or Windows NT registry editor Regedit.exe or similar tools to manipulate Windows or Windows NT registry, you are doing so at your own risk.
Additional search terms: uninstall deinstall hard-disk defragmenter registry
Copyright 1999 by Microsoft Corporation
DISKEEPER USER STUNNED BY DENIAL OF TECH SUPPORT
Digital News
4.2.1991By Nancy Kelly
Ciba-Geigy was refused technical support for its disk defragmenter after the supplier, Executive Software Inc., learned that the Swiss chemical company made Ritalin, a drug sometimes prescribed for hyperactive children.
Executive Software, maker of the dominant disk defragmenter for the VAX, Diskeeper, objects to the production of Ritalin as a drug that is prescribed by psychiatrists. The drug has provoked controversy based upon some studies that document several cases of suicides among young adolescents who had been given the drug as children. The Physicians' Desk Reference indicates that the side effects of Ritalin withdrawal include paranoia with thoughts of suicide.
The Glendale, Calif. software firm has a longstanding policy against selling its products to psychiatrists and psychiatric institutions. On Jan. 9 the firm's board of directors voted to expand that policy to include psychiatric drug manufacturers, after a company employee brought it to President Craig Jensen's attention that the makers of Ritalin had purchased a copy of Diskeeper.
"Ciba-Geigy ranks with the scum of the earth in my opinion," said Jensen. "The primary effect of Ritalin is suicide. When some of our employees heard we sold our software to them, I agreed to cancel that license, if necessary, and refuse to do business with drug manufacturers in the future."
The U.S.-based Ciba-Geigy MIS manager who bought Diskeeper late last year is not part of the pharmaceutical division of the company, which has eight seperate divisions that produce products ranging from pigments to plastics. He asked that he and his division not be identified. He said that he sought technical support when his employees ran into difficulty installing Diskeeper and that he was referred by the support staff to Dave Kluge, Executive Software's corporate affairs manager.
He said Kluge told him Executive Software would not provide Ciba-Geigy with any technical support. "He told me 'You people make psychiatric drugs and implements of torture.'
"I said, 'You're kidding.' I thought he was putting me on.
"He said we're responsible for people taking these drugs and don't we know they commit suicide. I told him we have nothing to do with the pharmaceutical division but he said it was the company policy," said the Ciba-Geigy official.
Kluge sent the MIS manager a letter outlining Executive Software's policy and the means by which Ciba-Geigy could obtain a refund for its purchase.
Jensen told Digital News that Executive Software would honor its contractual obligations with Ciba-Geigy, which had purchased a 12-month update service. However, it would not renew the service or the software once the agreement expired.
"Ciba-Geigy slipped through," said Jensen. "But I think someone should take a stand on this, and I'm willing to do so."
Meanwhile the Ciba-Geigy MIS manager, who had worked with Diskeeper at a previous job and had decided to purchase it after experiencing problems with a competitor's product is essentially without a disk defragmenter.
"There's no point in using it if this is what they are going to do," he said, referring to the eventual loss of technical support and upgrades. He also expressed dismay at Executive Software's stand on Ritalin.
"Thousands of kids can attend school because of Ritalin," he said. "Those parents thank us. There are problems with every drug on the market. It is up to the doctor to decide who it should be prescribed to."
According to two former Executive Software employees, the company's policy in part stems from Jensen's membership in the Church of Scientology. "He doesn't believe in anything that has to do with psychiatry because the church doesn't," said Michael Sigourney, president of Aviv Software Inc. and a former director of marketing at Executive Software. A second employee, who asked not to be identified, confirmed Jensen's affiliation with the church, adding that, "The Church of Scientology is against the distribution of Ritalin to school children. They're opposed to a variety of drugs."
In an October 1989 letter to his employees, Jensen detailed the company's policy in refusing to license software to psychiatrists or psychiatric institutions, stating that the policy reflected his own personal views. That policy states in part that to do business with psychiatrists "would condone political mental treatment such as electric shocks, lobotomy and convulsive drugs. We condemn utterly this fascist approach to 'mental health' by extermination of the insane, and we will not agree to brutality and murder in the guise of mental healing or to the easy and lawless seizure of persons in the name of 'mental health' for political reasons."
The latter further elaborated that, to counter the action of some psychiatrists who purchase the product, Jensen personally donates "large sums" to organizations such as the Citizen's Commission on Human Rights, "which is doing an excellent job of documenting and publicizing psychiatric crimes."
The Citizens Commission on Human Rights was founded by the Church of Scientology in 1969 to protect individuals from psychiatric abuse. It frequently lobbies against the practice of prescribing Ritalin as a means to control hyperactive children.
Crusade or Shadowboxing?
A new round in the "Scientology vs. the Federal Republic of Germany" conflict
Hans-Peter Goehring
Berlin, Germany
July 7, 2000
c't 14/2000, p. 18: ScientologyIn the American pre-election campaign, "Executive Software" founder Craig Jensen is drumming up votes for Republican congressional representatives in the fundamentalist Right and accuses the Federal Republic of putting obstacles in place to damage his business. Here at home, the CDU/CSU opposition is moving the administration to be more stringent against the Scientology conspiracy.
The corporation of professed Scientologist Jensen is the producer of the defragmentation program integrated into Windows 2000. The apparently close cooperation with Microsoft also opens the doors for Executive Software to have a full version of the "Diskeeper" defragmenter to be configured into Windows NT, 9x and 2000 remotely from networked systems. The side-effects of the corporation which is managed according to Scientology policies in Windows 2000 [1] has become a reason for concerned users, government agencies among them, to ask for an investigation by the Cologne Federal Office for Security in Information Technology (BSI).
The BSI, in the scope of its legal capacity of consultation, is now supposed to check whether Windows 2000 generally proves to have holes in security by which it would possible that transfers or counterfeits of files could occur which were not intended by users. In order to clarify the technical facts of the matter, the experts in Cologne have long been negotiating with Microsoft over the extent of access to the source code, as well as over the type of tests and the form in which the results would be permitted to be made public. At the time this article went to press, an agreement had not yet been reached, which means no results are available. Besides that, the office can only make a recommendation, if it is positive, it would serve as a type of a seal of approval, but market limitations or restriction of implementing the software is not associated with the technical review.
The second point of attack is the so-called "sect filter" - a security clause written by the Federal Ministry of Commerce (BMWi) in September 1998 as an attachment to the federal policy on award of contracts. According to it, companies which perform schooling or consultation in public service must sign a statement that they do not employ the training, management or organization techniques of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, in which people are psychologically manipulated or put under pressure. This clause also is valid exclusively for the public sector and does not entail any associated effects for the private economy.
At the same time the U.S. House of Representatives foreign affairs committee, which consists mostly of Republicans, took that regulation in the middle of June as a reason to offer a forum for Executive Software chairman Craig Jensen ("I am a living example of the American dream come true"), in the hearings on alleged discrimination against religious minorities in western Europe, to complain about persecution of his brothers in faith by German agencies and about an alleged embargo against the product of his firm. [2].
He was provided with the opportunity he wanted for his reproach by Clinton's Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky. In her "Annual Report on Discrimination in Foreign Government Procurement," she censured the security clause, which is also required in similar forms by several state governments like Bavaria, Berlin and Hamburg, as an impermissible non-tariff trade restriction: "At least one major U.S. provider has been subjected to a qualification process which far exceeds that which was demanded from its competitors," said the report. [These are non-literal quotes which have been translated from English to German back to English... trans.] And continued, "The executive office of the Trade Representative, after the requirements of the sect filter were brought to its attention, made the German government aware of its objection and is continuing to put pressure on the Germans to lift this discriminatory politic."
Official reaction to these procedures could not be obtained from the federal government; the inquiry by c't to that effect is still unanswered. The BMWi only verified that the text of the security clause was presently being reviewed by an interministerial work group in order to make it legally "watertight" in the event that those affected by it should appeal to the Federal Constitutional Court - which Scientology has so far avoided.
In the middle of all this, the CDU/CSU faction is preparing a Minor Inquiry for the German Parliament. In the request for information, which consists of over 20 questions, it would like to know, among other things, what legal possibilities the federal administration sees to stop "infiltration of the German economy" by Scientology members, whether it would consider tightening up the security clause and how it would like to prevent the award of public contracts to corporations directly controlled by Scientology through the "World Institute of Scientology Enterprises" (WISE), as well as to "such firms which use the management techniques developed by Scientology and/or the totalitarian personnel training methods marketed by Scientology trainers."
Another item in the inquiry is aimed directly at Microsoft's refusal so far to have its source code reviewed: "How does the federal government expect to implement data security and prevent damage to German business if software products which are related to security on the German market do not have a safety mechanism built in against illegal surveillance of customers by intelligence agencies?"
In asking that, the opposition has put its finger on the Achilles heel of state procurement politics. Because if Microsoft does not give in to the BSI's demands to reveal its source code, there is no realistic alternative in the short run for the software from Redmond. Aware that he has his hand indirectly on the end of a long lever as a provider to Microsoft, Jensen joyfully pointed out the awkward situation to the committee: doing without Windows 2000 would be "a 50 billion dollar blow to the German economy," said Jensen, "simply because of the inefficiency of the systems which they would have to install instead of this one." (cp)
References:
[1] Hans-Peter Göhring: Windows 2000 droht ein Bann, c't 25/99, Seite 58
[2] www.house.gov/international_relations/full/relminor/relminor.html
[3] http://www.innenministerium.bayern.de/scientology/ broschuere_verfassungsfeindliche_bestrebung/inhaltsverzeichnis.htm
Scientology
Science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard founded the "Church of Scientology" in 1954. Hubbard accumulated a unique world picture from his experiences with spiritism in Pasadena with the Ordo Templi Orientis, a sect of adherents of English Satanist Alistair Crowley, and from a mixture of pseudo-scientific science fiction, popular psychology and satanism, which he published in a book in 1950. According to Hubbard's concepts, the spiritual infiltration of humanity by the "Psychs" using psychiatric methods could only be stopped by Scientology's occupation of key positions in society with its own obedient followers.
When German district attorneys and Constitutional Security agents began to investigate Scientology because of indices present of endeavors being taken against the Constitution [3], the organization launched a human rights campaign which peaked with a letter to Chancellor Helmut Kohl, which was signed by non-members like Dustin Hoffman and Oliver Stone, besides professed Scientologists like John Travolta.
In 1995, the Federal Labor Court decided that Scientology was not to be regarded as a religious community of believers, but as a commercial association which used the designation of "church" solely as a protective cloak to pursue commercial interests. In doing that, it invokes Hubbard policies which include, "Make money, make more money - have other people work to make money." Even in the USA, Scientology did not succeed in bullying the Internal Revenue Service into giving it tax-exemption as a religious community until 1993, and then under suspicious circumstances.
There would be no lack of piquancy if the United States would now impute the Federal Republic of Germany with ideologically motivated "non-tariff trade restrictions." Its own anti-communism is today being raged upon the small Caribbean island of Cuba, against which they carried out a genuine trade embargo for forty years - which was also carried out against companies from other countries which wanted to invest there.
Microsoft
Now a "security risk" in Berlin
Experts consider replacing all their software
Berlin, Germany
May 6, 2000
Hamburger MorgenpostBerlin - Virus alarms in Berlin, too! E-mail "Spyders" there have brought down important areas of the federal government. An Interior Ministry task force feverishly seeks out network damage. And there's more: there is serious talk about getting rid of all of Microsoft's software.
In the Federal Interior Ministry, which is responsible for data security, as well as in other agencies, e-mail and internet is down until Monday. The technicians are searching the computers with virus scanners for traces of devastation.
Funny, not all ministries have been affected. Detlet Puhl, spokesman for the Federal Defense Ministry said, "No Loveletters arrived at our place." But the e-mail worm did not get through to other high security agencies, either, like Constitutional Security or the Federal Criminal Investigative Office, and, above all, the Chancellory Office. So were there special secret security precautions at those places?
Years ago in the federal agencies, the computers were set up without floppy disk drives because floppy disks could be the source of virus infections. After an attempt was made to live in a paperless society, though, there were second thoughts about that.
On inquiry from MoPo [this newspaper], administration spokesman Uwe Heye confirmed that consideration was being given to replacing the e-mail program, or even the whole operating system. Windows with "Outlook" or "Outlook Express" is in use almost everywhere. That is where the real weak point is, from the view of the Federal Office for Security in Information Technology (BSI), which reports to the Interior Ministry.
That was found out yesterday. Otto Schily's experts are already busy looking into recommendations for the use of so-called "Open Source" software like the free Linux operating system. The new "Windows 2000" is also off-limits for agencies because it comes with a built-in defragmentation program called "Diskeeper" from a Scientology WISE company, and there are fears that the militant sect could secretly pass on network data by means of a Trojan Horse.
UR
May 6, 2000
Computer freak causes billions in damages in the worst sabotage in computer history
Web terrorism: "Spyder" did it!
Hamburg - He calls himself "Spyder" and he lives in Manila [Philippines] in the Pandacan district. He is 23 years old and, since yesterday, is considered to be the worst commercial saboteur in the computer era. With a mischievous virus disguised as a love-letter, he has rocked the entire web world. Experts warn of an entirely new form of terrorism with incalculable consequences.
It was a data bomb with a time fuse. On April 28, the mischievous e-mail was loaded on a server of a Philippine provider, but was not activated until Thursday. Hours later the "love letter" had crippled millions of computers all over the world.
"It is the most malicious, damaging and fastest-acting virus in computer history, said Peter Tipett of the U.S. security firm http://www.icsa.net.
In North America alone, damages are estimated to be around a billion (!) marks. Yet the "ILoveYou" note from Manila has infected pyramid scheme companies, governments, organizations and private computers on all continents.
"And that is still not the whole story," said Friederike Rieg, spokeswoman from Symantec Germany (Norton Antivirus). Yesterday, the "love letter" continued on its rampage - albeit more slowly. Not only that, but within 24 hours five new variants showed up, including "Funny News" and "Joke." The advice is to delete these as soon as you see them.
No virus has ever caused as much damage as Spyder's love letter. Experts have concluded that 90% of all businesses worldwide were affected. "That is really brutal," said Rieg. "This has never happened before and, more than that, it has never happened this fast before."
According to initial estimates, the e-mail worm burrowed its way into hundreds of thousands of PCs in Germany alone. Like "Melissa," the virus opens up the address book and sends itself to all the addresses stored there. While its predecessors were satisfied with sending themselves to the first 50 addresses, the "I Love Your" and its brothers multiplied with no limit.
In the USA, the virus made its way into the networks of Congress, the Department of Defense and the Federal Reserve Bank. Not even German federal or state ministries were secure. The Love virus was even caught by the appointment calendar for Expo 2000. "No access is currently possible!" However, the Expo chief, Birgit Breuel, will not miss any of her appointments. She does not use a computer, but writes all her appointments down in a notebook...
Furthermore: there is also a warning about the new virus "Zlatko.exe": it comes as a screensaver and erases the hard disk.
Despite all denials to the contrary, software giant Microsoft has revealed a company secret. According to information obtained by Focus, the German Federal Office for Security in Information Technology got a look into the so-called "source code" of the new Windows 2000 computer operating system. Objections had been voiced about the software because a part of the program came from the company of a professed Scientologist. In that way, feared computer experts, the Scientology sect could obtain access to secret agency data. The Federal Office is supposed to find out whether the software is really harmless.
Microsoft, however, contested having revealed its source code, but an unnamed source in the federal administration said that the corporation wanted to prevent its secret program components from being subject to review in other cases.
Conflicting reports about Microsoft
Microsoft offers Windows 2000 source code for review
Berlin, Germany
March 4, 2000
SpiegelThe Federal Interior Ministry is examining an offer by software giant Microsoft to have the source code of its new Windows 2000 programs inspected. As the news magazine "Der Spiegel" wrote, Microsoft apparently is afraid that without the official seal of approval from the German agency, its Windows program will not be installed and that private individuals would also hesitate to buy it.
The background of the first-of-its-kind offer is the suspicion that the computer operating system could contain security deficiencies. The suspicion is directed at the "Diskeeper" program module, which was developed by a company belonging to Scientologist Craig Jensen. Experts think it possible that, with the help of Diskeeper, data on the hard drive of Windows 2000 computers would be accessible to unauthorized outside sources.
After Constitutional Security had also asked the Interior Ministry to check out the Windows software, the Federal Office for Security of Information Technology (BSI) took the case. In the meantime, Microsoft Germany offered the BSI specialists to review the source code of the program in the USA.
Microsoft: inspection of Windows 2000 was not offered after all
March 3, 2000
dpa
http://de.news.yahoo.com/000303/11/m4ic.htmlThe Microsoft software company denied a report by news magazine "Der Spiegel" that they had offered to let the Federal Interior Ministry inspect the source code of its new Windows 2000 program.
Windows 2000 became a topic of discussion because of possible entanglements with Scientology. "We are having meetings with the Ministry. But there has been no offer from our side to have the source code inspected," said Microsoft speaker Irene Nadler on Friday to the dpa. There was also said to have been no offer from Microsoft to let specialists from the Federal Office of Security in Information Technology (BSI) inspect the source code in the USA.
The magazine had reported that the Interior Ministry was reviewing an offer from the software giant Microsoft to inspect the source code of the Windows 2000 program. Microsoft was said to have apparently been afraid that its Windows program, without the official seal of approval from the German authorities, would not be installed and, also, that private individuals would hesitate in buying it, wrote "Der Spiegel."
In November 1999, computer magazine "c't" reported that a component of Windows 2000, the Diskeeper program, had been developed by Scientologist Craig Jensen's California company, Executive Software. Diskeeper is the sort of a program by which the fragmentation of data on the hard drive is removed. Jensen openly professes to managing his company, on the Internet (http://home.scientologist.org/cjensen/myself.htm), according to the controversial methods of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.
Since then it has been energetically discussed, especially in Germany, whether data on the hard drive of Windows 2000 computers could be spied upon with the aid of Diskeeper. Experts can recognize what functions Diskeeper actually contains in the source code. Microsoft regards the source code of its commercial software products as an operational secret. In contrast, on free computer systems like Linux, the source code is published as "Open Source." According to a statement from Microsoft, the source code of Diskeeper was reviewed internally without peculiarities having been discovered.
Microsoft spokesman Kurt Braatz, after the first reports on the topic in the beginning of December 1999, stated that the Executive Software company would have to be treated like any other company, regardless of its religion. "There is no judgment in force in which Scientology is categorized as an organization hostile to the Constitution." It was said that Microsoft operates on legal national principles. "We cannot exclude a valid offer from anyone based on religious, racist or other type of grounds from doing business with us."
Microsoft: Constitutional Security wants to review Windows 2000
Because of anxiety about software infiltrated by Scientology, the Federal Interior Ministry wants to check out Microsoft's new operating system, Windows 2000.March 3, 2000
ftdOn Friday, a Ministry spokesman told Reuters news agency that negotiations were taking place with the goal of permitting the source code of the Windows 2000 operating system, which was put on the market in February, to be inspected. Microsoft verified that negotiations were taking place, but did not want to comment on a report by "Der Spiegel" magazine which stated that the company had agreed to reveal the information. Because the source code holds the entire technical know-how of a software producer on a product, it is among the best kept operational secrets, comparable to the legendary Coca-Cola formula.
On Friday, "Der Spiegel" reported that Microsoft apparently was afraid that its Windows 2000, without the official seal of approval from the German authorities, would not be implemented, and that even private individuals would hesitate to buy it. In November 1999, computer magazine "c't" reported that one component of Windows 2000, the Diskeeper program, had been developed by Scientologist Craig Jensen's California Executive Software company. Jensen open admits on the internet that he manages his corporation according to the controversial methods of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.
Diskeeper is a disk maintenance program which can improve the performance of the computers, but is not a central component of Windows. Although there is no prior evidence in this direction, there has been discussion in Germany, since the publication of the c't report, as to whether Diskeeper could be used to spy on data on the hard drive of Windows 2000 computers over the internet. If Microsoft would make the source code available, then experts, under certain conditions, could determine which functions Diskeeper actually contains. According to statements from Microsoft, Diskeeper's source code was internally reviewed without peculiarities having been found.
Microsoft spokesman Kurt Braatz, after the first reports on the topic in the beginning of December 1999, stated that they would have to deal with the Executive Software company the same as any other, regardless of Scientology connections. "There is no judgment in force in which Scientology is categorized as an organization hostile to the Constitution." It was said that Microsoft operates according to national legal principles. "We cannot exclude anyone from doing business with us on religious, racist or other type of grounds without a valid court order."
Scientology test for Windows 2000
The new Microsoft operating system check on secret software -
Experts demand general software test for all new programs
Berlin, Germany
February 17, 2000
Kurierby Gerald Reischl
Tomorrow the new operating system from the house of Microsoft, Windows 2000, will be publicly presented in San Francisco for the first time. Strong criticism is raining down on the front lines.
For one thing, the new operating system is said to contain "n thousand" bugs (see box), for another a sub-program of Windows 2000 was purchased from a U.S. enterprise whose chief is a professed Scientologist. Craig Jensen's Executive Software International www.execsoft.com introduced his "Diskeeper" program into Windows 2000. Data security professionals, as well as Constitutional Security, fear that software could be built into Windows 2000 which could reveal the contents users' hard disks without permission.
On the basis of these fears, Windows 2000 will now be checked out by experts at the German Federal Office for Security of Information Technology (BSI). The BSI is an agency which works with the Federal Intelligence Agency which is responsible for security inside the German ministries. "We will be looking at the program closely," said BSI speaker Michael Dickopf. "The contracts have not even been signed yet, but we are confident that we will be able to start with the tests in the near future." Specifically, two computer experts will monitor the so-called "source code." "This check will last about five days," stated Dickopf. Results of the review, however, will not be presented for several weeks.
As far as ARGE data chief, Hans Zeger, is concerned, an objective check of software programs is long overdue. "I don't want at all to see this kind of check in connection with Scientology," said Zeger. "In general, I no longer regard the producers as trustworthy, because so-called "trap-doors" are built into many programs." "Trap Doors" are programs which, as soon as the computer user is online, either sends out an announcement that it is online, or automatically updates the program. Using trap-door functions, information can be skimmed off the hard drive, such as whether the software on the computer was purchased or copied.
BSI reviews Scientology software in Windows 2000
Berlin, Germany
February 15, 2000
Heise onlineVisit http://www.heise.de and search their archive for the original article in German. Here is a review in English of the Heise article on Windows 2000:
Due to the fact that Windows 2000 includes a defragmentation program which has been written by a company that supports Scientology, the Federal Office for Security in Information Technology [1] (BSI) may take a look at the source code in question. The concern is whether the source code will reveal a back door in the software which would allow unauthorized operations, such as exposed the contents of the users' hard drives.
Microsoft indicated it was willing to reveal its source code [3] to the BSI, as reported in Heise by M. Dickopf, although the entire deal had not been worked out. Dickopf expressed the opinion that the impending action would be of satisfaction to both parties.
URL of this article:
http://www.heise.de/newsticker/data/odi-15.02.00-002/
Links in this article:
[1] http://www.bsi.de/
[2] http://www.heise.de/newsticker/data/cp-03.12.99-000/
[3] http://www.heise.de/newsticker/data/cp-09.12.99-000/
WINDOWS 2000
From the Realm of Evil?
Berlin, Germany
January 19, 2000 (approx.)
STERN 3/2000What happens if the Scientology psycho-sect and power man Bill Gates do something together: what happens when "Diskeeper," a part of the new "Windows 2000" Microsoft operating system, is made by a company which belongs to one of the most important Scientologists, "Operating Thetan Level VIII" Craig Jensen? The Catholic Church is upset and Ursula Caberta, Scientology expert of Hamburg City, warns of digital devil's play. Are their fears justified?
That is what it is about. Windows 2000, which will replace Windows NT on many computers in Germany this year, works with a tool by the name of Diskeeper which gathers up bits and bytes strewn over the hard drive, thereby decreasing access time. In doing that, Diskeeper has access to all information stored on disk and, theoretically, could send that information out over the internet to sects. Microsoft says that the program has been gone over very closely; the security of all data is said to be guaranteed. But above anything else: where would Scientology begin with the contents of the hard drives of millions of windows users? Quantities of data the size of complete libraries would overrun the sect. The search for a useful snippet in the piles of information accumulated from one day would take weeks.
The important data on mainframes in banks, government agencies and ministries are contained in very secure networks. The only people who have a real problem are customers who have pledged not to work together with Scientology companies, like the states of Hamburg or Bavaria. But even the Bavarian Interior Ministry, at the forefront of the fight against the sect, views the matter nonchalantly. Changing to Windows 2000 is said to be a completely normal procedure because "it deals only with office material. Why should we not buy a pencil or a program from a company which uses Scientology?" Windows 2000 is scheduled to appear in Germany in February on the "Cebit."
One of the controversial sect's companies has worked on Windows 2000
External access to data conceivable
Berlin, Germany
December 4, 1999
Berliner ZeitungThomas Hirschbiegel
These days Microsoft boss Bill Gates does not have a lot to laugh about. As if the possible destruction of the software giant for alleged abuse as a quasi-monopoly were not enough, now there is also - at least in Germany - widespread irritation and annoyance over the upcoming Windows 2000 operating system. Computer magazine "c't" found out that the development of the operating system involved a company which is alined with the controversial Scientology sect. That is how the American software smith Executive Software is regarded; it is managed by a professed Scientologist. Company boss Craig Jensen outs himself on his home page as an active member, awarded in the strict hierarchy of the organization with the top rank of "Class VIII Operating Thetan."
Under observation by Constitution Security
When Executive Software expanded its operations into Germany in 1992, a c't staff member received information that its primary personnel qualification was not so much knowledge of computers as it was sect membership. Membership of the company in the World Institute of Scientology Enterprises (WISE), the sect's business department, also raised considerations. Businesses organized under this umbrella association which supported Scientology and financially contributed to it.
The organization makes no secret of its goal. "Factories, centers and communities of trade, those are the places where we want to have trained Scientologists," it unabashedly states in its management policy. Unlike in the USA, where Scientology can go about its business virtually unmolested, the association here at home has been under surveillance by Constitutional Security on multiple occasions. Currently it is under observation in almost all German states.
None of this is reason to get excited, believes Microsoft's American headquarters. This attitude is - of course - also followed by the German branch. Yet some are critical. Data security managers and security officials are "concerned" that a program of a company which supports Scientology has access to all the data on a computer, said c't. Reports from church groups call the integration of this software "extremely precarious", because gaining possible access to information in state and church agencies and institutions through a component of a popular operating system would be "a brilliant chess move" by Scientology.
"Diskeeper" is the name of the program produced by Executive Software; it is a tool for "defragmenting" the disk drive. This kind of program gathers up pieces of files strewn about the disk. It serves to optimize the speed of data access and the economic use of the disk drive.
In order to perform this function, such a tool needs to have access to every byte, that includes user information and documents. This function is not exclusive, however, because other system programs also access the complete data store. Nevertheless, it is absolutely technically possible to integrate a Trojan Horse in the operating system.
Trojan Horse
In testing a preview version of Windows 2000 Beta 3, however, the testers at c't did not discover any data being routed exterior to the device during this function. This still does not exclude the existence of a Trojan Horse. One cannot definitively say "that it does not contain a Trojan Horse, because finding one is a fortunate accident."
Windows 2000 does not guarantee effective protection from the unauthorized forwarding of sensitive information, because the defragmentation tool, contrary to what Microsoft says, cannot be erased from the hard disk. As soon as any kind of attempt is made to do that, Windows automatically reproduces the deleted files, the testers concluded.