Is Vista Allowing The Government To Spy On Our Computers?

Published on July 22nd, 2007

As if I needed another reason to stick with XP and later this year move to a Mac (with XP under Parallels to run my Windows-only apps).

United States Government Online Watchdogs?

After installing all of my usual apps on Vista I was impressed to see most everything was 100% backward compatible.
[...]
All these positive aspects and more, and then…..

ALERT!

After running Vista for only a few days – with a complete love for the new platform the first sign of trouble erupted. I began noticing latency on my home network connection – so I booted my port sniffing software and networking tools to see what was happening. What I found was foundation shaking. The two images below show graphical depictions of what has and IS trying to connect to my computer even in an idle state;

NOTE;
DoD Network Information Center (Department of Defense)

United Nations Development Program (Seems to correlate to the parent branch of the U.N. Informatics Division)

Halliburton Company (We all know these guys)

I ran traceroutes on the IP’s, and sure enough they came back legit and government owned. I thought this might be exclusive to my system, so I ran over to a friend of mine who upgraded to Vista when it first became available (MICROSOFT FAN BOY! ;P ). After installing monitoring software on his system, the hits it caught on his network were immediate and almost identical in source.

36 users responded in " Is Vista Allowing The Government To Spy On Our Computers? "

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# 1 Jägermeister said, on July 22nd, 2007 at 10:10 am

That image could have been interesting if he had shown the destination port.

# 2 FRAGaLOT said, on July 22nd, 2007 at 10:18 am

This sounds like a myth… didn’t they report this about Windows XP 7 years ago? I’d like to know if they were using pirated copies of Vista or store bought, or what exactly.. Home, Ultimate, basic.

I also don’t buy this story much because he says how “all his apps are backward compatible” which is highly unlikely… would be nice if he gave a short list of apps he uses.

It also sounds like he has a linux box on his network. WTF does he need vista for then?

# 3 AHHHH! said, on July 22nd, 2007 at 10:27 am

Stop posting this crap! The idiots at digg already went crazy for this misinformation. The DoD scans ALL computers connected to the internet, they have no direct access to Vista machines.

The gov’t body that is doing the scan is the Defense Information Systems Agency … and before the tin foil hat wearers get excited, don’t forget the us military developed the damn internet in the first place.

The scan is harmless!

# 4 Ken in Berkeley said, on July 22nd, 2007 at 10:32 am

The federal government spying on home computers is nothing new to Vista, although this time around they did help write some of the code. Actually, I thought I read years ago in PC Magazine that the feds had an arrangement with all of the anti-spyware makers to allow their trojan horses through. Maybe someone can remember which issue I read that in.

# 5 Jägermeister said, on July 22nd, 2007 at 10:42 am

#4 [Ken in Berkeley ] – …the feds had an arrangement with all of the anti-spyware makers to allow their trojan horses…

Why would for instance Lavasoft (makers of Ad-Aware) give a shit about what American authorities dictate?.. They’re not an American company.

# 6 GregA said, on July 22nd, 2007 at 10:48 am

High Times?

# 7 ECA said, on July 22nd, 2007 at 11:10 am

ALL of you must understand…
They DID pass a few bills to monitor the internet. AND it isnt just 1 Bureau.
The Test they did back in 2000(?).
Sorting and highlighting, and seeing how much info was processed over the internet, with certain words, Keys and analysis.
FILLED a 20×20 room 6 foot high, and would take 100 people 5 years to go thru, to see if there was any terrorist activities.
It was also discussed BEFORE…That if you had even a Semi-smart group with a MINOR bit of tech. That all the options you had to encrypt, hide, talk privately, pass messages, was so enormous that these folks would be taking YEARS just to decrypt a Messaged encoded in a picture, let alone, try to decrypt the MILLIONS that are passed along Every day.
Even with minor editing software for Movies you could insert a message that would be Very difficult to Find or decrypt..Forget haveing someone Watch every Video distributed across the net…

# 8 Phillep said, on July 22nd, 2007 at 11:19 am

Haliburton is not a government agency. The author says it is.

What would DOD hope to accomplish, anyhow? Anyone with a lick of sense has a firewall these days. Are they just mapping what parts of the web are active?

But, so far as trusting MS, swing over to Networkworld, there’s a link to an article about Vista and XP restoring certificates the users try to remove. Add this to the patent MS has on searching your hard drive in order to tailor ads to your interests.

# 9 Charbax said, on July 22nd, 2007 at 12:05 pm

I’m testing out Ubuntu Linux, the version 7.04. It’s really easy to install, it comes with all kinds of apps.

If you dont need to edit HDV video, which I am looking for how if it may be done easilly on here. Otherwise, most things seem to work great here in Linux, and very user-friendly. I haven’t needed to touch any command line or anything.

When computers start being sold with Linux pre-installed the share of Linux users will grow significantly, cause everything is here that most people need.

# 10 ECA said, on July 22nd, 2007 at 12:12 pm

8, It would be Nice to incorporate Haliburton INTO the gov, as the GOV gives them MORE money then our gov spends, might as well sign our taxes straight to them.

9. To many DONT KNOW they can change OS, DONT know HOW to change the OS, wouldnt understand HOW it works…and its not on TV, so they dont know its even an alternative.

# 11 jasontheodd said, on July 22nd, 2007 at 12:41 pm

#9
I have used a lot of beta software for HDV edit/manipulation on debian based Linux distros (ie Mint, Ubuntu, Secure Debian, etc.) But most are still in the bug hunting stages, you are still about two or so months away from anything really interesting there.
The real reason people don’t switch to Linux is really driver and the direct x runtime environment for games. If you leave the U.S. you will see lots of free-ware apps in use that already have a Linux version or equivalent. I’m using an XP partition now cuz I was printing some pictures out and there isn’t a Linux driver for my photo printer yet. Other than printing and playing games It never gets used though.

# 12 GregA said, on July 22nd, 2007 at 12:42 pm

#10

On your point to #9, most would not know WHY to change os, because except for an insignificant number of disaffected complainers, Windows works great. This is sort of like telephone wire tapping. No one cares that the government has the ability to tap telephones… Except for paranoid pot smokers, and mobster masterminds.

In the case of computer spying… What exactly would a wide scale governent spying effort be trying to uncover? In the one case that people are refering to.. A kid was making terrorist threats, and the police used computer forensic techniques to catch him.

Um… That is a problem how? As far as I can tell there has been no law enforcement effort to catch me for my Bush hating.

Kiddies, if you are concerned about this, you really really need to reconsider all that pot smoking you are doing, it is starting to affect your judgement.

# 13 Rich said, on July 22nd, 2007 at 1:30 pm

Someone please correct if I am wrong here. Isn’t a port scan a brief operation? Would a port scan persist long enough to cause “network latency”?

# 14 framitz said, on July 22nd, 2007 at 2:07 pm

The guy is probably running bit torrent. There is nothing at all unusual in the graphic.

The latency is caused by working too many torrents at the same time and an inefficient torrent client.

Bottom line is that the guy is ignorant and over-reacting.

# 15 julieb said, on July 22nd, 2007 at 4:00 pm

OMG! The FUD is out of control.

First, Peerguardian does NOT run on Vista.

Second, you can see the the guy is running XP!

Third, how do we know what he is running. P2P app maybe?

Fourth, it’s down because he knows he’s busted.

I’m not say MS and the DoD ain’t spying. Just that this is not evidence of it.

# 16 Blues said, on July 22nd, 2007 at 4:12 pm

8 “Haliburton is not a government agency. The author says it is.”

I thought Haliburton owned the DOD.

# 17 SteveL said, on July 22nd, 2007 at 4:24 pm

It does not surprise me that MS Vista let’s government spy and invade our privacy. It does not surprise me that the government goes against the constitution like the 4th amendment “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” both the demicans and the republicrats are in on this crap. Nope, I don’t live in a little shack somewhere in the backwoods of Montana. Yes, I am paranoid about our government. So call me a crackpot if you like. For those of you who think the government has nothing but your good in mind and it’s okay to let them peak into your private life and thoughts, The framers of this country knew better, history tells us differently. Regarding Ubuntu Linux? I love it. I am far from being a computer guy and it was simple to install. It just takes me a bit longer than some of you to find and do what I need but I love it. Why switch OS? Well, the reason I switched was because I got tired of being extorted by MS and all the anti-virus company’s every year.

# 18 Angel H. Wong said, on July 22nd, 2007 at 5:17 pm

And the DoD doesn’t scan Macs because they’ll only find TENS OF THOUSANDS of pictures of cats, cheesy girlfriend videos and/or gay art (95% of my favourite gay artists use macs and that includes women who like to draw naked men.)

# 19 joejoe said, on July 22nd, 2007 at 5:20 pm

I think it’s Bill Clinton’s fault…

# 20 Les said, on July 22nd, 2007 at 5:53 pm

#15 “First, Peerguardian does NOT run on Vista”

But Peerguardian 2 does.

# 21 julieb said, on July 22nd, 2007 at 6:09 pm

@#20

#15 “First, Peerguardian does NOT run on Vista”

But Peerguardian 2 does.

Comment by Les — 7/22/2007 @ 5:53 pm

WRONG! Try a quick google search. The Internet is cool like that. This quote is from Peerguardian’s page:

“Note: PeerGuardian 2 does not support Windows Vista at the moment. This is a top priority, and we hope to have a Vista download soon.”

Additionally, I have tried it. It in fact DOES NOT work in Vista. Come on.

# 22 Mark T. said, on July 22nd, 2007 at 6:43 pm

Oh, that. It’s just SkyNet. Nothing to worry about.

# 23 Moral Volcano said, on July 22nd, 2007 at 7:36 pm

Relax, Halliburton and a number of other companies own a lot of IPs. Just look at the Geo IP database.

# 24 tallwookie said, on July 22nd, 2007 at 8:06 pm

No Coment

# 25 SAT said, on July 22nd, 2007 at 9:19 pm

Why do you think Bush has been pushing Broadband “always on” connections since he has been in office. Average commercial firewalls being able to be easily circumvented by extremely knowlegable computer types? They want to be able to roam the net willy nilly and check everyones comp out. A few more beers and a roll of Renyolds wrap and as long as my mom doesn’t come down to the basement and pull the plug on my comp for the night, Ill tell you all about it.

# 26 Tippis said, on July 23rd, 2007 at 12:43 am

#12: ” No one cares that the government has the ability to tap telephones… Except for paranoid pot smokers, and mobster masterminds.”

Have a read at this: ‘I’ve Got Nothing to Hide’ and Other Misunderstandings of Privacy

# 27 Mister Mustard said, on July 23rd, 2007 at 1:27 am

>>Have a read at this: ‘I’ve Got Nothing to Hide’ and
>>Other Misunderstandings of Privacy

It would be nice if we could read the article, rather than just the abstract claiming that “Solove critiques the nothing to hide argument and exposes its faulty underpinnings.”

# 28 Mike said, on July 23rd, 2007 at 2:26 am

FUD FUD FUD!!
When will these jerks give up trying to discredit MS using suspect data and questionable (PeerGuardian) methods?!
I’ve been running Vista for ages (RC1) and regularly monitor my ports and traffic and there has never been anything like the image shows. Perhaps thats because my PC is behind a $20 modem+router that stops dead pretty much all traffic like this!

This jerk is clearly just another apple/FOSS troll trying to change the world to fit his own private worldview!

# 29 Tippis said, on July 23rd, 2007 at 4:50 am

#27

Scroll down to “Download this document from…”

# 30 StyX said, on July 23rd, 2007 at 5:09 am

Funny thing is that the screenshot is taken using remote desktop, so in fact he could be running any kind of OS on the other side. Also, you can in fact get PeerGuardian 2 to run on Vista, it’s a matter of how badly you want it/need it. It woun’t be running very well, but it’ll show up with a few IP’s now and then just like before.

# 31 Cinaedh said, on July 23rd, 2007 at 6:46 am

My, there are a lot of very defensive Micro$oft fanboys and girls in this thread, just absolutely freaking out about this topic. That seems kind of strange and I don’t even recognize most of the names.

XP was the first operating system I ever installed on my personal computer where I couldn’t identify and close all the open and listening ports. I still can’t. The first dynamically assigned port opens before you even log in to XP and you can close it with a firewall but then the next available dynamically assigned port opens – ad infinitum.

I don’t know why it’s open or why it’s always listening for something to connect to it. I asked but it’s the first question I ever asked on the Internet where I didn’t eventually get a satisfactory answer.

It’s probably nothing but I did immediately switch to Linux, where I either know or can figure out exactly what’s happening on my own computer.

There are many ports continuously open to the Internet on XP and there are good explanations for some of them but it just freaks me out, not being in total control of my own computer. After all, I bought XP but of course I don’t own it. According to the legalese on the package, Micro$oft owns it.

I suspect Vista is a nightmare of mysterious open ports but I’ll never know because I’ll never allow it on my computer. Recently I’ve been setting up a lot of dual boot machines where my friends use Ubuntu on the ‘Net and XP for games but XP is NOT allowed Internet access.

This may be the way of the future for intelligent people who don’t like virii, spyware, worms, rootkits, etcetera.

# 32 Howard Harawitz said, on July 23rd, 2007 at 9:41 am

I’ve been a supporter of Microsoft and a Windows user and booster for longer than I care to remember. Not any more — for a variety of reasons — mostly because of its use of ithe Internet to spy on my computer.

I really would like a new laptop computer for music performance but I will not buy one with Vista on it. XP works just fine with my music applications and hardware. Vista can only mean brand new driver problems — even though I am using the external gear I have had for years! And, that’s not to mention the way the new kernel has been bound to DRM and, now, the latest spy controversy. And, of course, the usual bunch of bugs that are rampant in any new operating system will certainly plague Vista.

Why are we being forced to buy an operating system that we don’t want or need? If Microsoft wants an income stream why not issue annual updates and mods to their existing system? They could offer subscriptions to that service. It would certainly be much better than having to completely change operating systems every few years.

I too plan to make my next system a Macintosh.

# 33 Mr. Fusion said, on July 23rd, 2007 at 12:30 pm

I am still listening for a compelling reason to buy VISTA.

Anything I want to do I can do with XP. I have a firewall and run AV. If I want to watch TV, there is one in my living room and bedroom. If I want to listen to music I can put something for background while I work at the computer or I can relax in the living room for the high end stuff. If I want a pretty looking desktop, I have one now.

I just removed Ubuntu. Not because it was a bad system. I just didn’t use it and I wanted to use that HDD to store more photographs.

# 34 Angel H. Wong said, on July 23rd, 2007 at 5:12 pm

#33

You’re going to add Thousands of cat photos?

# 35 sayuncle said, on July 23rd, 2007 at 7:51 pm

Man you are all slow learners. I gave up on microsoft products sometime around dos5.0. I relunctantly gave into other things later on just because the software (game usually) would not run on my current os. So I have a computer with 98SE and another with ME. I’ll be going for NIX next machine upgrade.

Noone’s noticed the never ending consumer loop? New software requires bigger badder faster computer. New OS means new software and then again bigger badder faster machine.

Now, if MS would ever bother to perfect something prior to release…something they have never done, that would be one thing, but the business of selling crap continously, consumers all sing BAH in unison, while bending over.

Oh, for the record, the only MS product I ever bought was a dos1.0 to run on an antique I had. All the rest were donated to me from my brother when he upgraded to the newer crap. AT least my crap was free.

# 36 Kaparen said, on August 1st, 2007 at 3:16 pm

What’s the fuzz about Gov/MS (hand in hand with other bullies) have interests in your behaviour, what’s on your disk, mail etc.
Features that’s been included since Win98 ?? =o)

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