Cisco launches probe
of NSA malware attacks

Cisco scrambled to initiate a security investigation after a German news outlet published leaked data showing that the NSA had hacker weapons capable of penetrating a variety of U.S. cyber systems and devices.

In a related devlopment, Apple yesterday told the public that it had never cooperated with the agency to create electronic backdoors that can be used to convert iphones into spy devices.

Spiegel report
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/nsa-secret-toolbox-ant-unit-offers-spy-gadgets-for-every-need-a-941006.html

Cisco said in a statement: "On Monday, December 30th, Der Spiegel magazine published additional information about the techniques allegedly used by NSA TAO to infiltrate the technologies of numerous IT companies. As a result of this new information coming to light, the Cisco Product Security Incident Response Team (PSIRT) has opened an investigation. Customers can stay informed of the progress of this investigation via the previously posted Cisco Security Response."

Cisco statement
http://blogs.cisco.com/news/comment-on-der-spiegel-articles-about-nsa-tao-organization/

The German news outlet Spiegel reported that the NSA's malware and trojan arsenal targets "products made by well-known American manufacturers" with methods that "break into professional-grade routers and hardware firewalls, such as those used by internet and mobile phone operators." Among businesses whose security has been potentially compromised are Cisco, Dell, Juniper, Hewlett-Packard and the Chinese company Huawei, Spiegel said.

A representative of Hewlett-Packard wrote that the company was not aware of any of the information presented in the report and that it did "not believe any of it to be true." Contacted by Spiegel reporters, officials at Juniper Networks and Huawei also said they had no knowledge of any such modifications. Meanwhile, Dell officials said the company "respects and complies with the laws of all countries in which it operates."

Many internet advertisers fear NSA taint
As the big cyber firms scramble to try to contain the financial damage caused by the National Security Agency, the spreading flames of distrust are licking at national firms which are regular internet advertisers. The fear is that they will be implicated as co-conspirators with Big Brother.

It appears, for example, that Google's Youtube division has been reduced to filling up much of its lineage with long-lasting ads alleging poor PC performance. Evidently, Google is so desperate for ad revenue that it is unworried that the ads make it appear that the advertiser is, with Google's cooperation, improperly scanning private computers, thus reinforcing the worry that corporations are teaming up with the feds to spy on ordinary people.