Lenovo said it is no longer installing a visual search engine application called Superfish on its laptops after allegations surfaced that the software exposes a user’s previously encrypted browser data and passwords exposed to online attackers. Drew Evans/The Wall Street Journal
Lenovo has disabled and discontinued loading laptops with an ad-serving software called Superfish that, according to security researchers, makes it easy for attackers to access encrypted Web data, and even online passwords.
The company said in a statement on Thursday that it stopped shipping computers with the Superfish adware in January—a practice it had begun in September—and that it will not preload this software again in the future. Lenovo also said that Superfish had been disabled on systems that already had it installed.
Google Opposes Proposal to Ease Warrants for Computer Searches
By ROLFE WINKLER and JENNIFER VALENTINO-DEVRIES
Reuters
Google GOOGL +0.70% is opposing a proposal that would make it easier for law enforcement to get warrants to hack into computers, the latest skirmish between Silicon Valley and the U.S. government in the wake of Edward Snowden’s revelations about widespread spying.
Google’s beef is with a proposed change to a procedural rule for issuing federal search warrants. Now, law-enforcement agents that want to search property typically must get a warrant from a judge in the district where the property is located.
But with computer crimes in the Internet age, law enforcement doesn’t always know the physical location of a computer. Hence the proposed rule change published last yearthat would let judges authorize searches of computers outside their district as well.
In a blog post Wednesday, Google Legal Director Richard Salgado wrote that the issue was better left to Congress than the ”little-known body” overseeing federal courts that has proposed the change.
The proposed expansion of warrant power, Salgado wrote, would likely be used by U.S. authorities to search computers and devices around the world, which could undermine efforts to improve cooperation between governments. He also wrote that the change threatens privacy rights of computer users.
Law enforcement officials need “remote access warrants” in part “to combat anonymizing techniques,” the Department of Justice wrote in a memo last year, urging the change. Officials have pointed to tools like Tor that help conceal a computer user’s identity potentially impeding criminal investigations.
Others have expressed concerns that remote-access warrants would violate the Fourth Amendment’s protections against overly broad searches.
The proposed change relates to domestic law enforcement, not spying. But it feeds into anxiety in Silicon Valley since Snowden revealed the extent of U.S. government snooping. One infamous document included a smiley face labeling the point of vulnerability where the NSA allegedly tapped Google’s network.
A Department of Justice spokesman said “This proposal would not authorize any searches not already authorized under current law. The proposal relates solely to venue for a warrant application.”
By ROLFE WINKLER and JENNIFER VALENTINO-DEVRIES
ReutersGoogle GOOGL +0.70% is opposing a proposal that would make it easier for law enforcement to get warrants to hack into computers, the latest skirmish between Silicon Valley and the U.S. government in the wake of Edward Snowden’s revelations about widespread spying.
Google’s beef is with a proposed change to a procedural rule for issuing federal search warrants. Now, law-enforcement agents that want to search property typically must get a warrant from a judge in the district where the property is located.
But with computer crimes in the Internet age, law enforcement doesn’t always know the physical location of a computer. Hence the proposed rule change published last yearthat would let judges authorize searches of computers outside their district as well.
In a blog post Wednesday, Google Legal Director Richard Salgado wrote that the issue was better left to Congress than the ”little-known body” overseeing federal courts that has proposed the change.
The proposed expansion of warrant power, Salgado wrote, would likely be used by U.S. authorities to search computers and devices around the world, which could undermine efforts to improve cooperation between governments. He also wrote that the change threatens privacy rights of computer users.
Law enforcement officials need “remote access warrants” in part “to combat anonymizing techniques,” the Department of Justice wrote in a memo last year, urging the change. Officials have pointed to tools like Tor that help conceal a computer user’s identity potentially impeding criminal investigations.
Others have expressed concerns that remote-access warrants would violate the Fourth Amendment’s protections against overly broad searches.
The proposed change relates to domestic law enforcement, not spying. But it feeds into anxiety in Silicon Valley since Snowden revealed the extent of U.S. government snooping. One infamous document included a smiley face labeling the point of vulnerability where the NSA allegedly tapped Google’s network.
A Department of Justice spokesman said “This proposal would not authorize any searches not already authorized under current law. The proposal relates solely to venue for a warrant application.”
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