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/proprietary/proprietary-back-doors.html-diff: #score: 5143; @digest: eaec03e160206c1fe87b608cbc3828d1; @id: 400338; @lang: en; @mdate: 2024-03-26T14:06:08Z; @size: 98375; @type: text/html; content-type: text/html; charset=utf-8; #keywords: workshop (62727), doors (30540), backdoor (19629), arstechnica (15521), universal (15335), remotely (14164), encoding (13443), small (12834), door (12721), proprietary (11609), copied (11318), mal (10745), rec (10465), back (8674), https (8582), var (8132), echo (7387), href (7349), date (6818), phones (6756), li (6654), modem (6339), android (5716), edit (5434), google (5243), windows (5107), malware (5082), malicious (4567), technology (4049), none (4025), phone (3944), tag (3898);     <title>Proprietary Back Doors - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/side-menu.css" media="screen,print" />   <div class="nav"> <a id="side-menu-button" class="switch" href="#navlinks"> <img id="side-menu-icon" height="32" src="/graphics/icons/side-menu.png" title="Section contents" alt=" [Section contents] " /> </a> <a href="/"><img src="/graphics/icons/home.png" height="24" alt="GNU Home" title="GNU Home" /></a> / <a href="/proprietary/proprietary.html">Malware</a> / By type / </div>   <div style="clear: both"></div> <div id="last-div" class="reduced-width"> <h2>Proprietary Back Doors</h2> <a href="/proprietary/proprietary.html">Other examples of proprietary malware</a> <div class="infobox"> <hr class="full-width" /> Nonfree (proprietary) software is very often malware (designed to mistreat the user). Nonfree software is controlled by its developers, which puts them in a position of power over the users; <a href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html">that is the basic injustice</a>. The developers and manufacturers often exercise that power to the detriment of the users they ought to serve. Here This typically takes the form of malicious functionalities. <hr class="full-width" /> </div> <div class="article"> Some malicious functionalities are mediated by <a href="/proprietary/proprietary.html#f1">back doors</a>. Here are examples of demonstrated programs that contain one or several of those, classified according to what the back door is known to have the power to do. Back doors that allow full control over the programs which contain them are said to be “universal.” <div class="important"> If you know of an example that ought to be in proprietary software. this page but isn't here, please write to <a href="mailto:webmasters@gnu.org"><webmasters@gnu.org></a> to inform us. Please include the URL of a trustworthy reference or two to serve as specific substantiation. </div> <div id="TOC" class="toc-inline"> <h3>Back-door functionalities</h3> <ul> <li><a href="#spy">Spying</a></li> <li><a href="#alter-data">Altering user's data or settings</a></li> <li><a href="#install-delete">Installing, deleting or disabling programs</a></li> <li><a href="#universal">Full control</a></li> <li><a href="#other">Other/undefined</a></li> </ul> </div> <h3 id='spy'>Spying</h3> <ul class="blurbs">  <li id="M202008030">  Google Nest <a href="https://blog.google/products/google-nest/partnership-adt-smarter-home-security/"> is taking over ADT</a>. Google sent out a software update to place new items its speaker devices using their back door <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240123114737/https://www.protocol.com/google-smart-speaker-alarm-adt"> that listens for things like smoke alarms</a> and then notifies your phone that an alarm is happening. This means the devices now listen for more than just their wake words. Google says the software update was sent out prematurely and on top under each subsection accident and Google was planning on disclosing this new feature and offering it to customers who pay for it. </li>  <li id="M201706200.2">  <ul> <li> Many models of Internet-connected cameras contain a glaring backdoor—they back door—they have login accounts with hard-coded passwords, which can't be changed, and <a href="https://arstechnica.com/security/2017/06/internet-cameras-expose-private-video-feeds-and-remote-controls/"> href="https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/06/internet-cameras-expose-private-video-feeds-and-remote-controls/"> there is no way to delete these accounts either</a>. either</a>. Since these accounts with hard-coded passwords are impossible to delete, this problem is not merely an insecurity; it amounts to a backdoor back door that can be used by the manufacturer (and government) to spy on users. </li> <li> Vizio “smart” TVs  <li id="M201701130">  WhatsApp has a feature that <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs/business-blog/2017/02/what-vizio-was-doing-behind-tv-screen">have href="https://techcrunch.com/2017/01/13/encrypted-messaging-platform-whatsapp-denies-backdoor-claim/"> has been described as a universal back door</a>. </li> <li>The Amazon Echo appears “back door”</a> because it would enable governments to have nullify its encryption. The developers say that it wasn't intended as a universal back door, since <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Echo#Software_updates"> it installs “updates” automatically</a>. We have found nothing explicitly documenting and that may well be true. But that leaves the lack crucial question of any way to disable remote changes to whether it functions as one. Because the software, so program is nonfree, we are cannot check by studying it. </li>  <li id="M201512280">  Microsoft has <a href="https://theintercept.com/2015/12/28/recently-bought-a-windows-computer-microsoft-probably-has-your-encryption-key/"> backdoored its disk encryption</a>. </li>  <li id="M201409220">  Apple can, and regularly does, <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/05/new-guidelines-outline-what-iphone-data-apple-can-give-to-police/"> remotely extract some data from iPhones for the state</a>. This may have improved with <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2014/09/17/apple-will-no-longer-unlock-most-iphones-ipads-for-police/"> iOS 8 security improvements</a>; but it seems pretty clear. <a href="https://theintercept.com/2014/09/22/apple-data/"> not as much as Apple claims</a>. </li> </ul> <h3 id='alter-data'>Altering user's data or settings</h3> <ul class="blurbs">  <li id="chrome-erase-addons">Chrome has id="M202207140">  BMW is now luring British customers into <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/07/14/business/bmw-subscription/index.html"> paying for the built-in heated-seat feature of their new cars on a subscription basis</a>. People also have the option to buy the feature when they are paying for the car, but those who bought a used car have to pay BMW extra money to remotely enable the heated seats. This is probably done by BMW accessing a back door <a href="https://consumerist.com/2017/01/18/why-is-google-blocking-this-ad-blocker-on-chrome/">for remote erasure of add-ons</a>. in the car software. </li> <li> WhatsApp  <li id="M202109220">  Some Xiaomi phones <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jan/13/whatsapp-backdoor-allows-snooping-on-encrypted-messages">has href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/22/lithuania-tells-citizens-to-throw-out-chinese-phones-over-censorship-concerns">have a malfeature to bleep out phrases that express political views the Chinese government does not like</a>. In phones sold in Europe, Xiaomi leaves this deactivated by default, but has a back door to activate the censorship. This is the natural result of having nonfree software in a device that can communicate with the company can use that made it. </li>  <li id="M201905060">  BlizzCon 2019 imposed a <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/05/blizzcon-2019-tickets-revolve-around-invasive-poorly-reviewed-smartphone-app/"> requirement to read run a proprietary phone app</a> to be allowed into the plaintext of messages</a>. event. This should app is a spyware that can snoop on a lot of sensitive data, including user's location and contact list, and has <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20220321042716/https://old.reddit.com/r/wow/comments/bkd5ew/you_need_to_have_a_phone_to_attend_blizzcon_this/emg38xv/"> near-complete control</a> over the phone. </li>  <li id="M201809140">  Android has a surprise. Nonfree software <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/14/17861150/google-battery-saver-android-9-pie-remote-settings-change"> back door for encryption is never trustworthy. remotely changing “user” settings</a>. The article suggests it might be a universal back door, but this isn't clear. </li>  <li id="M201607284">  The Dropbox app for Macintosh <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180124123506/http://applehelpwriter.com/2016/07/28/revealing-dropboxs-dirty-little-security-hack/"> takes control of user interface items after luring the user into entering an admin password</a>. </li> <li>A  <li id="M201604250">  A pregnancy test controller application not only can <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2016/4/25/11503718/first-response-pregnancy-pro-test-bluetooth-app-security">spy href="https://www.theverge.com/2016/4/25/11503718/first-response-pregnancy-pro-test-bluetooth-app-security"> spy on many sorts of data in the phone, and in server accounts, it can alter them too</a>. </li> <li> Xiaomi phones come with <a href="https://www.thijsbroenink.com/2016/09/xiaomis-analytics-app-reverse-engineered">a universal back door in the application processor, for Xiaomi's use</a>. This is separate  <li id="M201512074">  <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2705284/backdoor-found-in-d-link-router-firmware-code.html"> Some D-Link routers</a> have a back door for changing settings in the modem processor that the local phone company can use</a>. </li> <li>Capcom's Street Fighter V update <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160930051146/http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/09/23/capcom_street_fighter_v/">installed a driver that can be used as a backdoor by any application installed on a Windows computer</a>. </li> <li>The Dropbox app for Macintosh <a href="http://applehelpwriter.com/2016/07/28/revealing-dropboxs-dirty-little-security-hack/">takes total control dlink of the machine by repeatedly nagging the user for an admini password</a>. eye. <a href="https://sekurak.pl/tp-link-httptftp-backdoor/"> The TP-Link router has a back door</a>. <a href="https://gothub.frontendfriendly.xyz/elvanderb/TCP-32764/blob/master/README.md">Many models of routers have back doors</a>. </li>  <li id="universal-back-door-phone-modem">The universal id="M201511244">  Google has long had <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/nov/24/google-can-unlock-android-devices-remotely-if-phone-unencrypted">a back door to remotely unlock an Android device</a>, unless its disk is encrypted (possible since Android 5.0 Lollipop, but still not quite the default). </li>  <li id="M201511194">  Caterpillar vehicles come with <a href="https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2006/12/remotely_eavesd_1.html">is employed href="https://web.archive.org/web/20201108113943/https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-11-19/caterpillar-depression-has-never-been-worse-it-has-cunning-plan-how-deal-it"> a back door to listen through their microphones</a>. More about <a href="http://www.osnews.com/story/27416/The_second_operating_system_hiding_in_every_mobile_phone">the nature of this problem</a>. shutoff the engine</a> remotely. </li> <li><a href="https://theintercept.com/2015/12/28/recently-bought-a-windows-computer-microsoft-probably-has-your-encryption-key/"> Microsoft has already backdoored its disk encryption</a>.</li> <li>Modern  <li id="M201509160">  Modern gratis game cr…apps <a href="http://toucharcade.com/2015/09/16/we-own-you-confessions-of-a-free-to-play-producer/"> href="https://toucharcade.com/2015/09/16/we-own-you-confessions-of-a-free-to-play-producer/"> collect a wide range of data about their users and their users' friends and associates</a>. Even nastier, they do it through ad networks that merge the data collected by various cr…apps and sites made by different companies. They use this data to manipulate people to buy things, and hunt for “whales” who can be led to spend a lot of money. They also use a back door to manipulate the game play for specific players. While the article describes gratis games, games that cost money can use the same tactics. </li> <li> Dell computers, shipped  <li id="M201403120.1">  <a href="https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/replicant-developers-find-and-close-samsung-galaxy-backdoor"> Samsung Galaxy devices running proprietary Android versions come with Windows, had a bogus root certificate back door</a> that <a href="http://fossforce.com/2015/11/dell-comcast-intel-who-knows-who-else-are-out-to-get-you/">allowed anyone (not just Dell) to remotely authorize any software provides remote access to run</a> the files stored on the computer. device. </li> <li> Baidu's proprietary Android library, Moplus,  <li id="M201210220">  The Amazon Kindle-Swindle has a back door that <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/11/millions-android-devices-vulnerable-remote-hijacking-baidu-wrote-code-google-made">can “upload files” as well as forcibly install apps</a>. It is has been used to <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20220319193415/https://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/17/some-e-books-are-more-equal-than-others/"> remotely erase books</a>. One of the books erased was <cite>1984</cite>, by 14,000 Android applications. George Orwell. Amazon responded to criticism by saying it would delete books only following orders from the state. However, that policy didn't last. In 2012 it <a href="https://boingboing.net/2012/10/22/kindle-user-claims-amazon-dele.html"> wiped a user's Kindle-Swindle and deleted her account</a>, then offered her kafkaesque “explanations.” Do other ebook readers have back doors in their nonfree software? We don't know, and we have no way to find out. There is no reason to assume that they don't. </li> <li>ARRIS cable modem  <li id="M201011220">  The iPhone has a back door for <a href="https://w00tsec.blogspot.de/2015/11/arris-cable-modem-has-backdoor-in.html?m=1"> backdoor href="https://www.npr.org/2010/11/22/131511381/wipeout-when-your-company-kills-your-iphone"> remote wipe</a>. It's not always enabled, but users are led into enabling it without understanding. </li> </ul> <h3 id='install-delete'>Installing, deleting or disabling programs</h3> <ul class="blurbs">  <li id="M202401180.4">  <a href="/proprietary/uhd-bluray-denies-your-freedom.html">UHD Blu-ray disks are loaded with malware of the worst kinds</a>, including the AACS DRM. Playing them on a PC requires the backdoor</a>. Intel Management Engine, which has back doors and cannot be disabled. Every Blu-ray drive also has a back door in its firmware, which allows the AACS-enforcing organization to “revoke” the ability to play any AACS-restricted disk. </li> <li>Caterpillar vehicles come with  <li id="M202302140">  Microsoft is <a href="http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-11-19/caterpillar-depression-has-never-been-worse-it-has-cunning-plan-how-deal-it">a back-door href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/feb/14/microsoft-to-phase-out-internet-explorer-with-new-edge-browser"> remotely disabling Internet Explorer, forcibly redirecting users to shutoff Microsoft Edge</a>. Imposing such change is malicious, and the engine</a> remotely. fact that the redirection is from one unjust program (IE) to another unjust program (Edge) does not excuse it. </li> <li> Mac OS X had an  <li id="M202301190">  Microsoft <a href="https://truesecdev.wordpress.com/2015/04/09/hidden-backdoor-api-to-root-privileges-in-apple-os-x/"> intentional local back door for 4 years</a>. </li> <li>Users reported href="https://betanews.com/2023/01/19/microsoft-is-using-the-kb5021751-update-to-see-if-you-have-an-unsupported-version-of-office-installed/"> released an “update” that <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/article/2993490/windows/windows-10-upgrades-reportedly-appearing-as-mandatory-for-some-users.html#tk.rss_all"> Microsoft was forcing them installs a surveillance program</a> on users' computers to replace Windows 7 gather data on some installed programs for Microsoft's benefit. The update is rolling out automatically, and 8 with all-spying Windows 10</a>. Microsoft was the program runs “one time silently.” </li>  <li id="M202210110">  Xiaomi provides a tool to <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/3012278/microsoft-windows/microsoft-sets-stage-for-massive-windows-10-upgrade-strategy.html"> attacking computers that run Windows 7 href="https://www.guidetoroot.com/unlock-bootloader-on-any-xiaomi-phones/"> unlock the bootloader of Xiaomi smartphones and 8</a>, switching tablets</a>, but this requires creating an account on the company's servers, i.e. providing your phone number. This is the price you have to pay for “legally” running a free software operating system on Xiaomi devices. But the manufacturer retains control of the unlocked device through a flag backdoor in the bootloader—the same backdoor that said whether was remotely used to “upgrade” unlock it. </li>  <li id="M202208220">  Tesla <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/22/business/tesla-fsd-price-increase/index.html"> sells an add-on software feature that drivers are not allowed to Windows 10 when users had turned it off. Later on, Microsoft published instructions use</a>. This practice depends on a back door, which is unjust in itself. Asking users to buy something years in advance to avoid having to pay an even higher price later is manipulative. </li>  <li id="M202110130">  Adobe <a href="http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/01/microsoft-finally-has-a-proper-way-to-opt-out-of-windows-78-to-windows-10-upgrades/"> how href="https://web.archive.org/web/20211014123717/https://pluralistic.net/2021/10/13/theres-an-app-for-that/#gnash">has licensed its Flash Player to permanently reject China's Zhong Cheng Network</a> who is offering the downgrade to Windows 10</a>. This seems program bundled with spyware and a back door that can remotely deactivate it. Adobe is responsible for this since they gave Zhong Cheng Network permission to involve do this. This injustice involves “misuse” of the DMCA, but “proper,” intended use of the DMCA is a back door in Windows 7 and 8. much bigger injustice. There is <a href="/philosophy/right-to-read.html">a series of errors related to DMCA</a>. </li> <li> Most mobile phones  <li id="M202108240">  Recent Samsung TVs have a universal back door, door with which has been used to Samsung can <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/07/22/nsa_can_reportedly_track_cellphones_even_when_they_re_turned_off.html"> turn href="https://www.pcmag.com/news/samsung-can-remotely-disable-any-of-its-tvs-worldwide"> brick them malicious</a>. remotely</a>. </li> <li>  <li id="M202106190">  <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/dec/18/chinese-android-phones-coolpad-hacker-backdoor"> A Chinese version of href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/06/even-creepier-covid-tracking-google-silently-pushed-app-to-users-phones/">Google automatically installed an app on many proprietary Android phones</a>. The app might or might not do malicious things but the power Google has over proprietary Android phones is dangerous. </li>  <li id="M202012020">  Adobe Flash Player <a href="https://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/end-of-life.html"> has a universal back door</a>. Nearly all models of mobile phones door</a> which lets Adobe control the software and, for example, disable it whenever it wants. Adobe will block Flash content from running in Flash Player beginning January 12, 2021, which indicates that they have access to every Flash Player through a universal back door. The back door won't be dangerous in the modem chip. So why did Coolpad bother future, as it'll disable a proprietary program and make users delete the software, but it was an injustice for many years. Users should have deleted Flash Player even before its end of life. </li>  <li id="M202007020">  BMW is trying to introduce another? Because this one <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/2/21311332/bmw-in-car-purchase-heated-seats-software-over-the-air-updates">lock certain features of its cars, and force people to pay to use part of the car they already bought</a>. This is controlled by Coolpad. </li> <li> Microsoft Windows has done through forced update of the car software via a universal radio-operated back door through which door. </li>  <li id="M201908270">  A very popular app found in the Google Play store contained a module that was designed to <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071011010707/http://informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=201806263"> any change whatsoever can be imposed href="https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2019/08/google-play-app-with-100-million-downloads-executed-secret-payloads/">secretly install malware on the users</a>. More information on when <a href="http://slated.org/windows_by_stealth_the_updates_you_dont_want"> this was used</a>. In Windows 10, user's computer</a>. The app developers regularly used it to make the universal back door computer download and execute any code they wanted. This is no longer hidden; all “upgrades” will a concrete example of what users are exposed to when they run nonfree apps. They can never be <a href="http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/07/windows-10-updates-to-be-automatic-and-mandatory-for-home-users/">forcibly and immediately imposed</a>. completely sure that a nonfree app is safe. </li> <li>German government <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160310201616/http://drleonardcoldwell.com/2013/08/23/leaked-german-government-warns-key-entities-not-to-use-windows-8-linked-to-nsa/">veers away  <li id="M201907100">  Apple appears to potential say that <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2019/07/10/apple-silent-update-zoom-app/"> there is a back door capabilities of in MacOS</a> for automatically updating some (all?) apps. The specific change described in the TPM 2.0 chip</a>. article was not malicious—it protected users from surveillance by third parties—but that is a separate question. </li> <li> The iPhone  <li id="M201811100">  Corel Paintshop Pro has a <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/corel-wrongly-accuses-licensed-user-of-piracy-disables-software-remotely-181110/"> back door <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/3358134/Apples-Jobs-confirms-iPhone-kill-switch.html"> that allows Apple to remotely delete apps</a> which Apple considers “inappropriate”. Jobs said it's ok for Apple can make it cease to have this power because function</a>. The article is full of course confusions, errors and biases that we can trust Apple. </li> <li> The iPhone has have an obligation to expose, given that we are making a link to them. <ul> <li>Getting a patent does not “enable” a company to do any particular thing in its products. What it does enable the company to do is sue other companies if they do some particular thing in their products.</li> <li>A company's policies about when to attack users through a back door for are beside the point. Inserting the back door is wrong in the first place, and using the back door is always wrong too. No software developer should have that power over users.</li> <li>“<a href="/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html#Piracy">Piracy</a>” means attacking ships. Using that word to refer to sharing copies is a smear; please don't smear sharing.</li> <li>The idea of “protecting our IP” is total confusion. The term “IP” itself is a <a href="http://www.npr.org/2010/11/22/131511381/wipeout-when-your-company-kills-your-iphone"> remote wipe</a>. href="/philosophy/not-ipr.html">bogus generalization about things that have nothing in common</a>. In addition, to speak of “protecting” that bogus generalization is a separate absurdity. It's not always enabled, but users like calling the cops because neighbors' kids are led into enabling playing on your front yard, and saying that you're “protecting the boundary line”. The kids can't do harm to the boundary line, not even with a jackhammer, because it without understanding. </li> <li> Apple can, is an abstraction and regularly does, <a href="http://arstechnica.com/apple/2014/05/new-guidelines-outline-what-iphone-data-apple-can-give-to-police/"> remotely extract some data can't be affected by physical action.</li> </ul> </li>  <li id="M201804010">  Some “Smart” TVs automatically <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180405014828/https:/twitter.com/buro9/status/980349887006076928"> load downgrades that install a surveillance app</a>. We link to the article for the state</a>. This may have improved with <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/2014/09/17/2612af58-3ed2-11e4-b03f-de718edeb92f_story.html"> iOS 8 security improvements</a>; but facts it presents. It is too bad that the article finishes by advocating the moral weakness of surrendering to Netflix. The Netflix app <a href="https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2014/09/22/apple-data/"> href="/proprietary/malware-google.html#netflix-app-geolocation-drm">is malware too</a>. </li>  <li id="M201511090">  Baidu's proprietary Android library, Moplus, has a back door that <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/11/millions-android-devices-vulnerable-remote-hijacking-baidu-wrote-code-google-made"> can “upload files” as much well as Apple claims</a>. forcibly install apps</a>. It is used by 14,000 Android applications. </li> <li> <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/2500036/desktop-apps/microsoft--we-can-remotely-delete-windows-8-apps.html">  <li id="M201112080">  In addition to its <a href="#windows-update">universal back door</a>, Windows 8 also has a back door for <a href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2732767/microsoft--we-can-remotely-delete-windows-8-apps.html"> remotely deleting apps</a>. You apps</a>. You might well decide to let a security service that you trust remotely deactivate programs that it considers malicious. But there is no excuse for deleting the programs, and you should have the right to decide who whom (if anyone) to trust in this way. As these pages show, if you do want to clean your computer of malware, the first software to delete is Windows or iOS. way. </li> <li>  <li id="M201103070">  In Android, <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/2506557/security0/google-throws--kill-switch--on-android-phones.html"> href="https://www.computerworld.com/article/2506557/google-throws--kill-switch--on-android-phones.html"> Google has a back door to remotely delete apps.</a> apps</a>. (It is was in a program called GTalkService). GTalkService, which seems since then to have been merged into Google Play.) Google can also <a href="https://jon.oberheide.org/blog/2010/06/25/remote-kill-and-install-on-google-android/"> forcibly and remotely install apps</a> through GTalkService (which seems, since that article, to have been merged into Google Play). GTalkService. This is not equivalent to a universal back door, but permits various dirty tricks. Although tricks. Although Google's exercise of this power has not been malicious so far, the point is that nobody should have such power, which could also be used maliciously. You might well decide to let a security service remotely deactivate programs that it considers malicious. But there is no excuse for allowing it to delete the programs, and you should have the right to decide who (if anyone) to trust in this way. way. </li> <li> <a id="samsung" href="https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/replicant-developers-find-and-close-samsung-galaxy-backdoor"> Samsung Galaxy devices running proprietary Android versions come with  <li id="M200808110">  The iPhone has a back door</a> door <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/3358134/Apples-Jobs-confirms-iPhone-kill-switch.html"> that provides remote access allows Apple to the files stored on the device. remotely delete apps</a> which Apple considers “inappropriate”. Jobs said it's OK for Apple to have this power because of course we can trust Apple. </li> <li> The Amazon Kindle-Swindle has </ul> <h3 id='universal'>Full control</h3> <ul class="blurbs">  <li id="M202305100">  HP delivers printers with a universal back door that has been door, and recently used it to <a href="http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/17/some-e-books-are-more-equal-than-others/"> href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2023/may/10/how-can-hp-block-me-from-using-a-cheaper-printer-cartridge"> sabotage them by remotely erase books</a>. One of installing malware</a>. The malware makes the books erased was 1984, by George Orwell. Amazon responded printer refuse to criticism by saying function with non-HP ink cartrides, and even with old HP cartridges which HP now declares to have “expired.” HP calls the back door “dynamic security,” and has the gall to claim that this “security” protects users from malware. If you own an HP printer that can still use non-HP cartridges, we urge you to disconnect it would delete books only following orders from the state. However, internet. This will ensure that policy didn't last. In 2012 HP doesn't sabotage it by “updating” its software. Note how the author of the Guardian article credulously repeats HP's assertion that the “dynamic security” feature protects users against malware, not recognizing that the article demonstrates it does the opposite. </li>  <li id="M202111201">  NordicTrack, a company that sells exercise machines with ability to show videos <a href="http://boingboing.net/2012/10/22/kindle-user-claims-amazon-dele.html">wiped href="https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2021/11/locked-out-of-god-mode-runners-are-hacking-their-treadmills/">limits what people can watch, and recently disabled a user's Kindle-Swindle feature</a> that was originally functional. This happened through automatic update and deleted her account</a>, then offered her kafkaesque “explanations.” The Kindle-Swindle also has probably involved a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=200774090"> universal back door</a>. door. </li> <li> HP “storage appliances”  <li id="M202106220">  Peloton company which produces treadmills recently <a href="https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/technology/peloton-tread-owners-now-forced-into-monthly-subscription-after-recall/">locked people out of basic features of people's treadmills by a software update</a>. The company now asks people for a membership/subscription for what people already paid for. The software used in the treadmill is proprietary and probably includes back doors to force software updates. It teaches the lesson that if a product talks to external networks, you must expect it to take in new malware. Please note that the company behind this product said they are working to reverse the changes so people will no longer need subscription to use the locked feature. Apparently public anger made the company back down. If we want that to be our safety, we need to build up the anger against malicious features (and the proprietary “Left Hand” operating system software that is their entry path) to the point that even the most powerful companies don't dare. </li>  <li id="M202102180">  Microsoft is <a href="https://uk.pcmag.com/operating-systems/131798/microsoft-starts-automatically-removing-flash-from-windows">forcibly removing the Flash player from computers running Windows 10</a>, using <a href="/proprietary/proprietary-back-doors.html#windows-update">a universal backdoor in Windows</a>. The fact that Flash has been <a href="/proprietary/proprietary-back-doors.html#M202012020">disabled by Adobe</a> is no excuse for this abuse of power. The nature of proprietary software, such as Microsoft Windows, gives the developers power to impose their decisions on users. Free software on the other hand empowers users to make their own decisions. </li>  <li id="M202011230">  Some Wavelink and JetStream wifi routers have universal back doors that give HP <a href="http://news.dice.com/2013/07/11/hp-keeps-installing-secret-backdoors-in-enterprise-storage/"> remote login access</a> enable unauthenticated users to them. HP claims remotely control not only the routers, but also any devices connected to the network. There is evidence that <a href="https://cybernews.com/security/walmart-exclusive-routers-others-made-in-china-contain-backdoors-to-control-devices/"> this does vulnerability is actively exploited</a>. If you consider buying a router, we encourage you to get one that <a href="https://ryf.fsf.org/categories/routers">runs on free software</a>. Any attempts at introducing malicious functionalities in it (e.g., through a firmware update) will be detected by the community, and soon corrected. If unfortunately you own a router that runs on proprietary software, don't panic! You may be able to replace its firmware with a free operating system such as <a href="https://librecmc.org">libreCMC</a>. If you don't know how, you can get help from a nearby GNU/Linux user group. </li>  <li id="M202011060">  A new app published by Google <a href="https://www.xda-developers.com/google-device-lock-controller-banks-payments/">lets banks and creditors deactivate people's Android devices</a> if they fail to make payments. If someone's device gets deactivated, it will be limited to basic functionality, such as emergency calling and access to settings. </li>  <li id="M202007010">  BMW will remotely <a href="https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/bmw-vehicle-as-a-platform/"> enable and disable functionality in cars</a> through a universal back door. </li>  <li id="M202004130">  The <a href="https://play.google.com/about/play-terms/"> Google Play Terms of Service</a> insist that the customer's data, user of Android accept the presence of universal back doors in apps released by Google. This does not tell us whether any of Google's apps currently contains a universal back door, but if that is a secondary question. In moral terms, demanding that people accept in advance certain bad treatment is equivalent to actually doing it. Whatever condemnation the latter deserves, the former deserves the same. </li>  <li id="M202001090">  Android phones subsidized by the US government come with <a href="https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2020/01/us-government-funded-android-phones-come-preinstalled-with-unremovable-malware/"> preinstalled adware and a back door allows for forcing installation of software changes, apps</a>. The adware is in a change modified version of an essential system configuration app. The back door is a surreptitious addition to a program whose stated purpose is to be a <a href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/unremovable-malware-found-preinstalled-on-low-end-smartphone-sold-in-the-us/"> universal back door for firmware</a>. In other words, a program whose raison d'être is malicious has a secret secondary malicious purpose. All this is in addition to the malware of Android itself. </li>  <li id="M201910130.1">  The Chinese Communist Party's <a href="/proprietary/proprietary-surveillance.html#M201910130"> “Study the Great Nation” app</a> was found to contain <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/chinese-app-allows-officials-access-to-100-million-users-phone-report-2115962"> a back-door allowing developers to run any code they wish</a> in the users' phone, as “superusers.” Note: The <a href="http://web-old.archive.org/web/20191015005153/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/chinese-app-on-xis-ideology-allows-data-access-to-100-million-users-phones-report-says/2019/10/11/2d53bbae-eb4d-11e9-bafb-da248f8d5734_story.html"> Washington Post version of the article</a> (partly obfuscated, but readable after copy-pasting in a text editor) includes a clarification saying that the tests were only performed on the Android version of the app, and that, according to Apple, “this kind of ‘superuser' surveillance could not be installed conducted on Apple's operating system.” </li>  <li id="M201908220">  ChromeBooks are programmed for obsolescence: ChromeOS has a universal back door that would give is used for updates and <a href="https://www.theregister.com/2019/08/22/buying_a_chromebook_dont_forget_to_check_when_it_expires/"> ceases to operate at a predefined date</a>. From then on, there appears to be no support whatsoever for the computer. In other words, when you stop getting screwed by the back door, you start getting screwed by the obsolescence. </li>  <li id="M201902011">  The FordPass Connect feature of some Ford vehicles has <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20200530023040/https://www.myfordpass.com/content/ford_com/fp_app/en_us/termsprivacy.html"> near-complete access to the customer's data. internal car network</a>. It is constantly connected to the cellular phone network and sends Ford a lot of data, including car location. This feature operates even when the ignition key is removed, and users report that they can't disable it. If you own one of these cars, have you succeeded in breaking the connectivity by disconnecting the cellular modem, or wrapping the antenna in aluminum foil? </li> <li> <a href="http://www.itworld.com/article/2705284/data-protection/backdoor-found-in-d-link-router-firmware-code.html"> Some D-Link routers</a>  <li id="M201812300">  New GM cars <a href="https://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gmc/vehicles/canyon/2019.html"> offer the feature of a universal back door</a>. Every nonfree program offers the user zero security against its developer. With this malfeature, GM has explicitly made things even worse. </li>  <li id="M201711244">  The Furby Connect has a <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20220604212722/https://www.contextis.com/en/blog/dont-feed-them-after-midnight-reverse-engineering-the-furby-connect"> universal back door</a>. If the product as shipped doesn't act as a listening device, remote changes to the code could surely convert it into one. </li>  <li id="M201711010">  Sony has brought back its robotic pet Aibo, this time <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/bj778v/sony-wants-to-sell-you-a-subscription-to-a-robot-dog-aibo-90s-pet"> with a universal back door, and tethered to a server that requires a subscription</a>. </li>  <li id="M201709090.1">  Tesla used software to limit the part of the battery that was available to customers in some cars, and <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/09/tesla-flips-a-switch-to-increase-the-range-of-some-cars-in-florida-to-help-people-evacuate/"> a universal back door in the software</a> to temporarily increase this limit. While remotely allowing car “owners” to use the whole battery capacity did not do them any harm, the same back door would permit Tesla (perhaps under the command of some government) to remotely order the car to use none of its battery. Or perhaps to drive its passenger to a torture prison. </li>  <li id="M201702060.1">  Vizio “smart” TVs <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2017/02/what-vizio-was-doing-behind-tv-screen"> have a universal back door</a>. </li>  <li id="M201609130">  Xiaomi phones come with <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190424082647/http://blog.thijsbroenink.com/2016/09/xiaomis-analytics-app-reverse-engineered/"> a universal back door in the application processor, for changing settings Xiaomi's use</a>. This is separate from <a href="#universal-back-door-phone-modem">the universal back door in the modem processor that the local phone company can use</a>. </li>  <li id="M201608171">  Microsoft Windows has a dlink of an eye. universal back door through which <a href="https://github.com/elvanderb/TCP-32764">Many models of router href="https://www.informationweek.com/government/microsoft-updates-windows-without-user-permission-apologizes"> any change whatsoever can be imposed on the users</a>. This was <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20200219180230/http://slated.org/windows_by_stealth_the_updates_you_dont_want"> reported in 2007</a> for XP and Vista, and it seems that Microsoft used the same method to push the <a href="/proprietary/malware-microsoft.html#windows10-forcing"> Windows 10 downgrade</a> to computers running Windows 7 and 8. In Windows 10, the universal back door is no longer hidden; all “upgrades” will be <a href="https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/07/windows-10-updates-to-be-automatic-and-mandatory-for-home-users/"> forcibly and immediately imposed</a>. </li>  <li id="M201606060">  The Amazon Echo appears to have a universal back doors</a>. door, since <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Echo#Software_updates"> it installs “updates” automatically</a>. We have found nothing explicitly documenting the lack of any way to disable remote changes to the software, so we are not completely sure there isn't one, but this seems pretty clear. </li> <li>  <li id="M201412180">  <a href="http://sekurak.pl/tp-link-httptftp-backdoor/"> The TP-Link router href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/dec/18/chinese-android-phones-coolpad-hacker-backdoor"> A Chinese version of Android has a backdoor</a>. universal back door</a>. Nearly all models of mobile phones have a <a href="#universal-back-door-phone-modem"> universal back door in the modem chip</a>. So why did Coolpad bother to introduce another? Because this one is controlled by Coolpad. </li> <li>  <li id="M201311300">  <a href="http://www.techienews.co.uk/973462/bitcoin-miners-bundled-pups-legitimate-applications-backed-eula/"> Some applications come with MyFreeProxy, which is a universal back door door</a> that can download programs and run them.</a> them. </li>  <li id="M201207150.1">  In addition to its <a href="#swindle-eraser">book eraser</a>, the Kindle-Swindle has a <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120715070050/http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/?nodeId=200774090"> universal back door</a>. </li>  <li id="M200612050">  Almost every phone's communication processor has a universal back door which is <a href="https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2006/12/remotely_eavesd_1.html"> often used to make a phone transmit all conversations it hears</a>. See <a href="/proprietary/malware-mobiles.html#universal-back-door-phone-modem">Malware in Mobile Devices</a> for more info. </li> </ul> <h3 id='other'>Other or undefined</h3> <ul class="blurbs">  <li id="M201711204">  Intel's intentional “management engine” back door has <a href="https://www.theregister.com/2017/11/20/intel_flags_firmware_flaws/"> unintended back doors</a> too. </li>  <li id="M201609240">  A Capcom's Street Fighter V update <a href="https://www.theregister.com/2016/09/23/capcom_street_fighter_v/"> installed a driver that could be used as a back door by any application installed on a Windows computer</a>, but was <a href="https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/street-fighter-v-removes-new-anti-crack"> immediately rolled back</a> in response to public outcry. </li>  <li id="M201511260">  Dell computers, shipped with Windows, had a bogus root certificate that <a href="https://fossforce.com/2015/11/dell-comcast-intel-who-knows-who-else-are-out-to-get-you/"> allowed anyone (not just Dell) to remotely authorize any software to run</a> on the computer. </li>  <li id="M201511198">  ARRIS cable modem has a <a href="https://w00tsec.blogspot.de/2015/11/arris-cable-modem-has-backdoor-in.html?m=1"> back door in the back door</a>. </li>  <li id="M201510200">  “Self-encrypting” disk drives do the encryption with proprietary firmware so you can't trust it. Western Digital's “My Passport” drives <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/mgbmma/some-popular-self-encrypting-hard-drives-have-really-bad-encryption"> have a back door</a>. </li>  <li id="M201504090">  Mac OS X had an <a href="https://truesecdev.wordpress.com/2015/04/09/hidden-backdoor-api-to-root-privileges-in-apple-os-x/"> intentional local back door for 4 years</a>, which could be exploited by attackers to gain root privileges. </li>  <li id="M201309110">  Here is a big problem whose details are still secret. <ul> <li> <a href="http://mashable.com/2013/09/11/fbi-microsoft-bitlocker-backdoor/"> secret: <a href="https://mashable.com/archive/fbi-microsoft-bitlocker-backdoor"> The FBI asks lots of companies to put back doors in proprietary programs. </a> programs</a>. We don't know of specific cases where this was done, but every proprietary program for encryption is a possibility. </li> </ul>  <li id="M201308230">  The German government <a href="https://www.theregister.com/2013/08/23/nsa_germany_windows_8/">veers away from Windows 8 computers with TPM 2.0</a> (<a href="https://www.zeit.de/digital/datenschutz/2013-08/trusted-computing-microsoft-windows-8-nsa">original article in German</a>), due to potential back door capabilities of the TPM 2.0 chip. </li>  <li id="M201307300">  Here is a suspicion that we can't prove, but is worth thinking about. <ul> <li> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20150206003913/http://www.afr.com/p/technology/intel_chips_could_be_nsa_key_to_ymrhS1HS1633gCWKt5tFtI"> about: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150206003913/http://www.afr.com/p/technology/intel_chips_could_be_nsa_key_to_ymrhS1HS1633gCWKt5tFtI"> Writable microcode for Intel and AMD microprocessors</a> may be a vehicle for the NSA to invade computers, with the help of Microsoft, say respected security experts. experts. </li>  <li id="M201307114">  HP “storage appliances” that use the proprietary “Left Hand” operating system have back doors that give HP <a href="https://insights.dice.com/2013/07/11/hp-keeps-installing-secret-backdoors-in-enterprise-storage/"> remote login access</a> to them. HP claims that this does not give HP access to the customer's data, but if the back door allows installation of software changes, a change could be installed that would give access to the customer's data. </li> </ul> <div class="column-limit"></div> The EFF has other examples of the <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/02/who-really-owns-your-drones">use href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/02/who-really-owns-your-drones"> use of back doors</a>. </div>  <div id="footer"> id="footer" role="contentinfo"> <div class="unprintable"> Please send general FSF & GNU inquiries to <a href="mailto:gnu@gnu.org"><gnu@gnu.org></a>. There are also <a href="/contact/">other ways to contact</a> the FSF. Broken links and other corrections or suggestions can be sent to <a href="mailto:webmasters@gnu.org"><webmasters@gnu.org></a>.  Please see the <a href="/server/standards/README.translations.html">Translations README</a> for information on coordinating and submitting contributing translations of this article. </div> Copyright © 2014-2017 2014-2024 Free Software Foundation, Inc. This page is licensed under a <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">Creative href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives Attribution 4.0 International License</a>.  Updated:  $Date: 2024/03/26 14:05:04 $  </div> </div> </div> </body> </html> ...; http://www.gnu.org/proprietary/po/proprietary-back-doors.it-diff.html - [detail] - [similar]

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