Windows 8 PCs Vulnerable To Cyber Threats
A German government
technology agency has warned that new security technology in computers running
Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system may actually make PCs more vulnerable to
cyber threats, including sabotage. Germany's Federal Office for Information
Security, or BSI, said in a statement posted on its website on Wednesday that
federal government agencies and critical infrastructure operators should pay
particular attention to the risk.
The warning comes
after weeks of public indignation in Germany over leaks related to U.S.
surveillance programs. The spying scandal has become a headache for Chancellor
Angela Merkel ahead of a September 22 election. The problem, according to the
BSI, is with the use of a computer chip known as the Trusted Platform Module,
or TPM 2.0, which is built into Windows 8 computers. TPM 2.0 is designed to
better protect PCs by interacting with a variety of security applications. But
the BSI, which provides advice on technology and security to the government as
well as the public, said the joint implementation of Windows 8 and TPM 2.0
chips could lead to "a loss of control" over both the operating
system and hardware, without specifying exactly how that could occur. "As
a result, new risks occur for users, especially for federal and critical
infrastructure," it said. The statement concluded: "The new
mechanisms in use can also be used for sabotage by third parties. These risks
need to be addressed."
But Microsoft
declined comment on the BSI statement. The company provided Reuters with a
statement saying that PC makers have the option to turn off TPM technology, so
that customers can buy PCs with it disabled.TPM was developed by the Trusted
Computing Group, a non-profit organization backed by technology firms including
IBM, Intel, Hewlett-Packard and Microsoft. The BSI said it was working with the
Trusted Computing Group and operating systems producers to find a solution. A
spokeswoman for that group declined to comment on the specific claims raised by
the BSI. She said the group has provided PC makers and users with plenty of
advice on best security practices to avoid any threats that they may face.
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