Microsoft Assisted NSA: Provided Encryption Workarounds for Hotmail, Skype and Sky Drive
New documents from the “whistleblower” reveal that Microsoft’s participation in the NSA’s surveillance programs may be more extensive than previously thought. Edward Joseph Snowden is an American former technical contractor for the United States National Security Agency (NSA) and a former employee of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). More recently known as the whistleblower who leaked these and several other details of top-secret U.S. and British government mass surveillance programs to the press.
Snowden claims that Microsoft has worked with US intelligence agencies to provide streamlined access to its services, including Outlook.com, Hotmail, Skype
, SkyDrive, and more. Over the last three years, Microsoft has reportedly assisted the FBI and NSA in encryption bypassing its products’ encryption that would otherwise prevent the interception of web chats, emails, and user data. Most notably, the company allowed the agencies to collect video and audio from conversations made through Skype, which it acquired in 2011.
Over the last three years, Microsoft has reportedly assisted the FBI and NSA in encryption bypassing its products’ encryption that would otherwise prevent the interception of web chats, emails, and user data. More particularly, the company allowed the agencies to collect video as well as audio from conversations made through Skype.
Microsoft hasn’t kept quiet on this issue; instead the company defended its actions, saying it was legally obliged to collaborate with the government and not allowed to disclose the partnership.
The main points as summarized in the Guardian are found here: http://guardianlv.com/2013/07/microsoft-assisted-nsa-provided-encryption-workarounds-for-hotmail-skype-and-sky-drive-video/
