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News BT modems have NSA back-door, claim researchers

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

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  1. Gareth Halfacree

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

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    Gareth Halfacree, 17 Dec 2013
    #1
  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.
     
    Gareth Halfacree, 17 Dec 2013
    #2
  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...
     
    John_T, 17 Dec 2013
    #3
  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]
     
    forum_user, 17 Dec 2013
    #4
  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
    Brooxy, 17 Dec 2013
    #5
  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
    Gareth Halfacree, 17 Dec 2013
    #6
  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.
     
    Brooxy, 17 Dec 2013
    #7
  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.
     
    Gareth Halfacree, 17 Dec 2013
    #8
  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.
     
    liratheal, 17 Dec 2013
    #9
  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?
     
    Guest-16, 17 Dec 2013
    #10
  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.
     
    r3loaded, 17 Dec 2013
    #11
  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.
     
    Atomic, 17 Dec 2013
    #12
  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.
     
    Bloodburgers, 17 Dec 2013
    #13
  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:

     
    GeorgeStorm, 17 Dec 2013
    #14
  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:
     
    Umbra, 17 Dec 2013
    #15
  16. Umbra

    Umbra What's a Dremel?

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    OK, That's weird, who censored my post :hehe:
     
    Umbra, 17 Dec 2013
    #16
  17. RichCreedy

    RichCreedy Hey What Who

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    it was your BT Home smart phone ;-) whatever one of those is, lol
     
    RichCreedy, 17 Dec 2013
    #17
  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
     
    Omnituens, 17 Dec 2013
    #18
  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...
     
    John_T, 17 Dec 2013
    #19
  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!
     
    John_T, 17 Dec 2013
    #20
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