Senate Effort to Ban Russian Software on US Military Systems

[vienna]

If this goes through, it will be interesting to see the fallout effect:

Senate effort to ban Russian software on US military systems would have far-reaching impact, sources say --

https://www.yahoo.com/gma/senate-effort-ban-russian-software-us-military-systems-224005470--abc-news-topstories.html




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[Cybermat47]

I'm surprised that the US Military would have Russian software... the USA and Russia aren't exactly best buddies...

[Skybird]

Of course you do not want a Russian cmpany providing software for your vital data infrastructure in the military.

You also do not want Chinese chips in your weapons, may they be explcitly or implcitly included.

I add you also do not want Apple, Google and Microsoft providing you with software and operation systems in your critical infrastructure. Not as a non-American and not as an American party. Nor do you want to use business company services falling under American legislation and having their servers in the US or in states where the US have easy access.

China has forced Microsoft that if they want to keep their access to the Chinese market they had to open their secret Windows source code so that the Chinese can pick Windows apart and extract those parts making Windows prone to American attacks. You get a heavily Chinese-modified Windows only in China, legally. More convincing it would have been from their POV if they would ban American software completely.

Russian state and military still order and buy increasing numbers of mechanical type writers since some years. Westerners laughed about this and called it paranoia at first. Now, some years later, the laughing has fallen silent.

[MaDef]

I'm surprised that the US Military would have Russian software... the USA and Russia aren't exactly best buddies...The U.S. military wouldn't as they have a very strict policy about what goes on their systems (at least they used to). This is geared more towards other government agencies and civilian contractors who connect to the various military networks.

[Rockstar]

http://www.takepart.com/sites/default/files/uploads/2011/03/rtrjvrc.jpg

Whats next?

[Cybermat47]

The U.S. military wouldn't as they have a very strict policy about what goes on their systems (at least they used to). This is geared more towards other government agencies and civilian contractors who connect to the various military networks.

Ah, I see.

[Platapus]

And what will the economic effect be when the Russians and perhaps other countries decide not to use US software?

Of course, US companies would never put back-door entries for the US government in any of their software. That would be wrong.

[Rockstar]

Kaspersky has for several years now been attempting to sell his software to the U.S. government. But Im fairly certain there has always been a ban on foreign design software on U.S. government systems. I think this so called proposal is not about removing said software from government systems or a new ban of anything but just to generate political hay. To get you to jump on the band wagon, to think a certain way about Kaspersky software and Russia.

IMO the news we see now is tailored for public consumption, associating Kaspersky with Putin. Which is going to scare a lot of Americans into ditching Kaspersky for something more American like Prism... err I mean McAfee. In turn it might hurt the Russian economy even more and hopefully get Putin out.

The only way to safeguard your personal information on the internet is dont log on to it. If everyone did that then there truley would be far reaching implications.

Btw Comrade whats up with the Russian colors on Subsim? :D. You speaky da Rusky?

[Gargamel]

Kaspersky is one of the leaders in anti virus tech. They have always made IMO a quality product and a smooth interface. One feature was an online scanner, meaning I could run a virus scan just from visiting a webpage. Was nice when there were a rash of viruses going around that could suppress local AV software.

But I think focusing on strictly Russia might be the wrong path. If you want to secure your software, use only domestic packages. And, of course, this brings with a host of problems.

[MaDef]

And what will the economic effect be when the Russians and perhaps other countries decide not to use US software?

Of course, US companies would never put back-door entries for the US government in any of their software. That would be wrong.nothing major, think about it, the defense department & the Government already have these types of restrictions in place and always have, somebody is looking to drive their agenda in a certain direction.

[Skybird]

nothing major, think about it, the defense department & the Government already have these types of restrictions in place and always have, somebody is looking to drive their agenda in a certain direction.
The digital economy is a major workhors ein the American economy, amnd world market leader. If it sees its products boycotted by the rest of the world, the falkout for the US would be horrendous. Google, Apple, Microsoft can pack their bags and go when their only remaining market would be the US market.

Its as if Germany sees selling cars outside Germany boycotted by the world's other states. German economy would collapse, and the social wellfare state as well.

Kaspersky himself passed some KGB university in his younger years. He claims to have no ties to the Russian state services - but what else do you expect him to say? Why should he behave different from US software producers who must obey US laws demanding them to follow orders by the NSA and other state authorities regarding their software and possible wanted breaches, backdoors and hidden vulnerabilities?

Using Russian software in vital sectors of your state, is not clever. Using Chinese chips and hardware made in China isn't clever either. Using American servers and software in your state's amdinsitration and military again is a stupid idea. There are altrnatives for office software. Several German cities prove this since over one decade. They do better and cheaper this way. And Microsoft lobbies hard to recapture this lost territory and make them pay hundreds of millions in licence fees again for claimed superior Microsoft services. Only bribed politicians tend to believe them, however. And in Paris, the police since many years ignores demands by the French interior ministry that the police should switch back its infrastructure to Windows - the Paris officers in their free time (!!) switched the whole system to Linux years ago, and see that ot performs so much better in all regards, that they turned stubborn and decided to so far not comply with the interior ministry's order. Chapeau, Messieurs! Keine Macht den Doofen und den Korrupten!

Life without Windows and Android is possible. And its a better, and less depending life.

[MaDef]

The digital economy is a major workhors ein the American economy, amnd world market leader. If it sees its products boycotted by the rest of the world, the falkout for the US would be horrendous. Google, Apple, Microsoft can pack their bags and go when their only remaining market would be the US market.

I think you misconstrued my post. I was just pointing out that this is an insignificant story. The U.S Gov has always had restrictions in place as to what hardware/software is allowed to be connected in her critical infrastructure systems, and if you are concerned about the Russians creating mischief, then you don't make it easier by using Russian software (or hardware for that matter).

Your welcome to try and boycott those three companies, but it will be a long time before you see any significant results, between them, those three companies own 90-95 % of the world market share in operating systems.

[vienna]

In Worrisome Move, Kaspersky Agrees to Turn Over Source Code to US Government --

http://gizmodo.com/in-worrisome-move-kaspersky-agrees-to-turn-over-source-1796587120




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[Rockstar]

He must really really want that government contract. IMO Kaspersky can take his source code and pack sand.

[vienna]

...or Putin must really really really want him to get that government contract... :haha:




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[vienna]

Documents appear to offer fresh evidence Russia's Kaspersky is tied to spy agency:

How close is Russian cyber firm to Russia’s spies? --

http://amp.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/article159342694.html




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