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News BT modems have NSA back-door, claim researchers

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by Gareth Halfacree, 17 Dec 2013.

  1. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

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  2. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

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    Added a couple of comments from people who say that the paper is making a mountain out of a decidedly not-DoD-flavoured molehill. Yes, that means an already lengthy piece is even longer. Grab a coffee.
     
  3. John_T

    John_T Minimodder

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    Nothing wrong with a long article: I'd rather it was long and properly balanced than short for the sake of it. As someone who uses the BT setup I wouldn't mind seeing a follow-up to this to see whether there actually is anything in it. Not that I do anything I don't particularly want 'authorities' to know about, but you know, it's the principal of the thing...
     
  4. forum_user

    forum_user forum_title

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    BT won't be able to say it is true even if it is, so, safe to assume a full denial incoming?

    [homehub]
    Shutdown router.
    [/homehub]
     
  5. Brooxy

    Brooxy Loser of the Game

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    This. I'm also using the Homehub 4 setup, along with the Openreach Modem - if any more information about this comes up, it would be interesting to know, no matter how boring my internet history is...

    Kind of scary that we've entered a time when all tinfoil hat-esque ideas are becoming more of a reality. What's next, NSA backdoor hidden in my ethernet enabled blu-ray player? GPS Tracking bug built into the ECU of my car, with dialler to dial back to the NSA? (Not likely - it's a poverty spec 2002 Golf, but you get the gist of what i'm getting at...)
     
    Last edited: 17 Dec 2013
  6. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

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    Interesting. The Home Hub 5 was the first to include a built-in dual-mode ADSL/VDSL modem, meaning it works without the Openreach VDSL modem. The instructions for the Home Hub 5, however, don't reflect this; "If you're on Infinity Option 1 or Option 2," they explain, "connect the Home Hub 5 to the modem via an Ethernet cable." When my Infinity Option 2 was fitted, the Openreach engineer didn't bring a modem; when I queried why, concerned that he was installing plain-old ADSL2+, he confirmed that they're no longer required with the Home Hub 5 - and, indeed, BT had stopped using 'em because they had a tendency to overheat.

    You, however, have a Home Hub 5 and an Openreach modem - even though you don't need two boxes. When was your broadband installed, out of interest?
     
    Last edited: 17 Dec 2013
  7. Brooxy

    Brooxy Loser of the Game

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    Well this is embarrasing - meant to type Homehub 4 not 5...although in answer to the question, it was installed in August I think.
     
  8. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

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    That would explain it; the 4 has no VDSL capabilities - just ADSL. Still doesn't explain why the HH5 manual clearly states you'll get a separate modem if you're on Infinity, though.
     
  9. liratheal

    liratheal Sharing is Caring

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    You know what. If it's true, anyone still using those aborted foetus' of routers deserve it.
     
  10. Guest-16

    Guest-16 Guest

    At this point I'll not be surprised if my analogue watch is always listening to me tbh. Anyone else feel the same?
     
  11. r3loaded

    r3loaded Minimodder

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    And kids, this is why I always use my own router with OpenWRT - and it's not just because ISP routers have horrifically crap hardware+firmware that's locked down like mad.
     
  12. Atomic

    Atomic Gerwaff

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    It's not the router that has the backdoor, it was the modem so you'd not be safe.
     
  13. Bloodburgers

    Bloodburgers Minimodder

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    Well my watch keeps telling me things so am sure its more than capable of listening too.
     
  14. GeorgeStorm

    GeorgeStorm Aggressive PC Builder

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    Someone I know who does networky stuff (as far as I'm aware) commented on this earlier:

     
  15. Umbra

    Umbra What's a Dremel?

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    It wouldn't surprise me if my BT H%£e sm%^T ph%£$ is monitoring me :worried:
     
  16. Umbra

    Umbra What's a Dremel?

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    OK, That's weird, who censored my post :hehe:
     
  17. RichCreedy

    RichCreedy Hey What Who

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    it was your BT Home smart phone ;-) whatever one of those is, lol
     
  18. Omnituens

    Omnituens What's a Dremel?

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    Is it just me, or is the plot of MGS2 starting to make a little bit more sense?

    Won't be long before words start to get La-li-lu-le-lo'ed
     
  19. John_T

    John_T Minimodder

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    Maybe I am stupid for using the (perfectly functional) kit that I already paid for (without choice) from my ISP, but I "deserve" it? Really? At least I understood the article.

    Besides, what makes you think that only ISP supplied hardware would then be affected? If this story were true, (GeorgeStorm's post aside for a moment) do you think other brands of hardware wouldn't also be affected? Perhaps you've simply chosen one with a backdoor for a different country's security agency...
     
  20. John_T

    John_T Minimodder

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    Yep, put me in that category. I used to file stories like this under 'tinfoil hat brigade' - the last few years have increasingly proved that the tinfoil hat wearers were actually the sensible ones and it's the rest of us that were deluded. Definitely makes you paranoid!
     

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