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This in no way compares to the Sony Rootkit fiasco. Even if the keylogger is still there I'll hardly doubt that Samsung installed it on purpose.

by jpablo 16y ago

wladimir 16y ago
He should have analyzed the SL configuration to see where the logged keystrokes are sent. That'd have been interesting to see. Now it's just guesswork.
Tyrannosaurs 16y ago
It's an interesting one. If it was Samsung's responsibility (big if at this stage obviously) then I'd actually be more scared if they didn't install it on purpose. I get that large corporations intentionally do bad things for money but I kind of assume that they're competent enough that they don't accidentally let their master install for a new laptop get infected with a key logger. I'm not saying that I believe them to be completely competent, just that the level of cock ups I expect from them doesn't run to this. For me if they did install it accidentally then that's worse than them installing it deliberately for some ill considered audit or support purpose.
- jpr 16y ago
  > I kind of assume that they're competent "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity."
  - JoshTriplett 16y ago
    Sufficiently advanced stupidity is indistinguishable from malice.
  - Tyrannosaurs 16y ago
    Possibly I should be clearer. I assume them to be broadly technically competent in so much as they won't let their master install get infected with a key logger. I'm happy to accept that they may be incompetent when it comes to making decisions about whether it would be a good idea to install a key logger for support or audit purposes.
- lwhi 16y ago
  This for me, is the root of the problem. I don't believe any corporation can be 'good' or 'evil'. Corporations are comprised of people - some of whom will choose to do 'bad things'. Digital technology provides a huge amount of power to those who have access to it. People are necessarily subject to human emotions and motivations - some will choose to do things which place people at risk. Transparency and division of power within an organisation needs to be set-up and maintained to prevent abuses from occurring .. but I'd imagine, in most cases the stage has already been set to allow this kind of thing to happen without a corporation's knowledge.

This in no way compares to the Sony Rootkit fiasco. Even if the keylogger is still there I'll hardly doubt that Samsung installed it on purpose.

by jpablo 16y ago

This in no way compares to the Sony Rootkit fiasco. Even if the keylogger is still there I'll hardly doubt that Samsung installed it on purpose.

wladimir 16y ago

He should have analyzed the SL configuration to see where the logged keystrokes are sent. That'd have been interesting to see. Now it's just guesswork.

Tyrannosaurs 16y ago

It's an interesting one. If it was Samsung's responsibility (big if at this stage obviously) then I'd actually be more scared if they didn't install it on purpose. I get that large corporations intentionally do bad things for money but I kind of assume that they're competent enough that they don't accidentally let their master install for a new laptop get infected with a key logger. I'm not saying that I believe them to be completely competent, just that the level of cock ups I expect from them doesn't run to this. For me if they did install it accidentally then that's worse than them installing it deliberately for some ill considered audit or support purpose.

jpr 16y ago
> I kind of assume that they're competent "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity."
- JoshTriplett 16y ago
  Sufficiently advanced stupidity is indistinguishable from malice.
- Tyrannosaurs 16y ago
  Possibly I should be clearer. I assume them to be broadly technically competent in so much as they won't let their master install get infected with a key logger. I'm happy to accept that they may be incompetent when it comes to making decisions about whether it would be a good idea to install a key logger for support or audit purposes.
lwhi 16y ago
This for me, is the root of the problem. I don't believe any corporation can be 'good' or 'evil'. Corporations are comprised of people - some of whom will choose to do 'bad things'. Digital technology provides a huge amount of power to those who have access to it. People are necessarily subject to human emotions and motivations - some will choose to do things which place people at risk. Transparency and division of power within an organisation needs to be set-up and maintained to prevent abuses from occurring .. but I'd imagine, in most cases the stage has already been set to allow this kind of thing to happen without a corporation's knowledge.