It has long been assumed that Microsoft has built in several “backdoors” for law enforcement to get around its own security when investigating corporate fraud and severe electronic crimes, but now the company has also been handing the keys to law enforcement. Law enforcement officers have been given special USB keys that get around Microsoft’s security, allowing the holder of the key to very quickly get forensic information (including internet surfing history), passwords and supposedly encrypted data off of any vista PC/Laptop.

While you can understand why police like this, the very fact that the backdoor is there and that a bunch of these USB keys are out there pretty much guarantees that those with nefarious intent also have such keys.

The second you build in a back door, no matter how noble the reason, you can rest assured that they will be used by hackers and criminals. Several sources have now stated that trusting Microsoft’s statements about how “secure” vista is like hiring a chocolate firegard to stop you from burning yourself.

The USB key doesn’t simply contain backdoor keys but actually includes a bunch of standard tools, not access to a “backdoor.” The confusion following the initial story was due to the original article claiming that the device “can decrypt passwords and analyze a computer’s Internet activity, as well as data stored in the computer.” In saying so, it appeared that the device must have access to a backdoor to decrypt the password — but an update claims that it’s merely “password security auditing technologies.”