The ex-National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden might still be on the run, but it did not stop him from revealing some more secrets related to the co-operation between the U.S. security agency and a top tech company. The Guardian has recently revealed some new top-secret documents which claims that the Redmond-based software giant Microsoft voluntarily allows the NSA to intercept communications between users. The classified documents also divulged that Microsoft has willingly provided NSA the “ability to circumvent its own encryption,” according to TNW.
The media outlet marked out the contents of the secret documents in the form of a list, which says that the security agency not only had access to Microsoft’s most popular service like Outlook.com, but other services as well, which include Skype and SkyDrive. The Guardian has listed the contents as below:
“- Microsoft helped the NSA to circumvent its encryption to address concerns that the agency would be unable to intercept web chats on the new Outlook.com portal;
– The agency already had pre-encryption stage access to email on Outlook.com, including Hotmail;
– The company worked with the FBI this year to allow the NSA easier access via Prism to its cloud storage service SkyDrive, which now has more than 250 million users worldwide;
– Microsoft also worked with the FBI’s Data Intercept Unit to “understand” potential issues with a feature in Outlook.com that allows users to create email aliases;
– Skype, which was bought by Microsoft in October 2011, worked with intelligence agencies last year to allow Prism to collect video of conversations as well as audio;”
In response to the Guardians report, Microsoft said in statement that, “When we upgrade or update products we aren’t absolved from the need to comply with existing or future lawful demands.” Moreover, defending itself Microsoft once again said that it provides customer data to government when it is demanded and that it “only ever comply with orders for requests about specific accounts or identifiers.”
Below is the full response from Microsoft:
“We have clear principles which guide the response across our entire company to government demands for customer information for both law enforcement and national security issues.
First, we take our commitments to our customers and to compliance with applicable law very seriously, so we provide customer data only in response to legal processes. Second, our compliance team examines all demands very closely, and we reject them if we believe they aren’t valid. Third, we only ever comply with orders about specific accounts or identifiers, and we would not respond to the kind of blanket orders discussed in the press over the past few weeks, as the volumes documented in our most recent disclosure clearly illustrate. To be clear, Microsoft does not provide any government with blanket or direct access to SkyDrive, Outlook.com, Skype or any Microsoft product.
Finally when we upgrade or update products legal obligations may in some circumstances require that we maintain the ability to provide information in response to a law enforcement or national security request. There are aspects of this debate that we wish we were able to discuss more freely. That’s why we’ve argued for additional transparency that would help everyone understand and debate these important issues.”
Source: TNW
Photo: RT
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