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The Daily Roundup for 07.11.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Microsoft reportedly eased NSA access to Outlook.com, SkyDrive and Skype
Tech firms say they aren't giving the NSA direct access to their servers, but that might not even be necessary. The Guardian reports that Microsoft, at least, is making it easy to snoop on services from the outside. Documents provided by Edward Snowden claim that Microsoft helped the NSA bypass Outlook.com chat encryption, even before the product launched; reportedly, it also simplified PRISM access to both SkyDrive and Skype conversations. The company denies offering any kind of carte blanche access, however, and insists that it only complies with specific, legal requests. Whether or not that's true, we can only know so much when Microsoft is limited in what it can say on the subject.
US reportedly uses security agreements to intercept data from undersea fiber optic lines
The US government has clear incentives to safeguard against internet attacks coming through undersea fiber optic lines, but the Washington Post now hears that they're stretching the law to make this happen. The newspaper claims that federal agencies push foreign fiber operators into Network Security Agreements that, while public, are used for eavesdropping that isn't covered under their terms. In the case of an old deal with Global Crossing, the telecom firm had to allow short-notice government visits and even keep top executives in the dark. The FCC reportedly serves as the bargaining chip, delaying cable licenses until providers agree to the terms. Government officials maintain that their surveillance is legal, although that's cold comfort -- the New York Times and Wall Street Journal both allege that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court has reinterpreted laws to let the NSA collect more information than it would otherwise. [Image credit: JL Hopgood, Flickr]
NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden offered asylum in Venezuela (update: Bolivia too)
Now that PRISM leaker Edward Snowden has spent a few days in Russia with a US extradition request looming over him, WikiLeaks legal advisor Sarah Harrison has submitted asylum applications and requests for asylum assistance to a raft of countries on his behalf. The first to step up to the plate is apparently Venezuela, as its president Nicolas Maduro stated during a parade that it has rejected US requests for extradition and will offer him political and humanitarian asylum. Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega previously said his country would offer Snowden asylum "if circumstances permit." Update: Reports are out that Bolivia's president, Evo Morales, has joined in offering Snowden asylum. As USA Today notes, this comes hot on the heels of when his plane was barred from flying over European airspace for hours, over concerns Snowden hitched a ride from Russia under the radar.
European Parliament votes to investigate US surveillance of EU residents
Not surprisingly, the European Parliament isn't happy to hear that the NSA and other US agencies are allegedly snooping on communications in Europe and elsewhere. It isn't just complaining loudly, however -- the Parliament just voted 483-98 in favor of a resolution that will investigate US surveillance activities in Europe and report on their impact before the end of the year. The measure also asks EU officials to consider limiting the data they voluntarily provide to American authorities, such as shutting down programs that forward air passenger and bank records. There's nothing in the resolution that would immediately affect the EU-to-US communication pipeline, but that could change in half a year -- US intelligence outlets may not get their European information served on a silver platter for much longer. [Image credit: JLogan, Wikipedia]
The Weekly Roundup for 06.24.2013
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
The Daily Roundup for 06.27.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
The Guardian: NSA still collecting Americans' online data under Obama administration
Today, The Guardian reported that the Obama administration has permitted the NSA to collect large amounts of Americans' online data -- including email records -- for more than two years. The government's metadata-collection program, first started during the Bush presidency, was discontinued in 2011, but it appears that information-monitoring processes have since been going strong. This news comes courtesy of "secret documents" obtained by the publication, and the source indicates that the NSA specifically collected information involving "communications with at least one communicant outside the United States or for which no communicant was known to be a citizen of the United States," though the agency eventually received the green light to tap US residents as well. Earlier this month, reports surfaced claiming the NSA has been snooping on AT&T, Sprint and Verizon customers, and this latest leak only confirms what many already suspected: that there's still plenty we don't know about the details -- and the extent of -- the government's surveillance activities.
Microsoft follows Google's lead, files request to reveal more data about FISA orders
The Wall Street Journal reports that in a move similar to Google's request last week, Microsoft has submitted a motion to the secret FISA court to authorize the release of "aggregate data" about the requests it has received. Microsoft published the information it has so far been authorized to reveal a couple of weeks ago, lumping in national security related requests with stats for other criminal warrants and subpoenas. Google and Twitter have been among the loudest requesting the ability to separate national security-related requests like those at the center of the PRISM controversy, however it's been reported that several companies are negotiating for the ability to be more specific.
Edward Snowden tells South China Morning Post he took Booz Allen job to collect NSA information
Edward Snowden may now be far from Hong Kong, but the South China Morning Post has just revealed more details from an interview he granted on June 12th while he was still there. According to the paper, Snowden reportedly said that he took a job with NSA-contractor Booz Allen Hamilton in order to gather additional evidence about the spy agency's activities. "My position with Booz Allen Hamilton granted me access to lists of machines all over the world the NSA hacked," he said. "That is why I accepted that position about three months ago." He reportedly further said "correct on Booz," when asked if he specifically went to Booz Allen to gather evidence of surveillance. As the paper notes, Snowden also said that he took pay cuts "in the course of pursuing specific work" in an online Q&A with The Guardian last week, and he's also indicated that he has more information he intends to leak, saying that he'd like to "make it available to journalists in each country to make their own assessment."
The Weekly Roundup for 06.17.2013
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
EFF looks at rules controlling NSA surveillance, sees big risks for Americans
While The Guardian undoubtedly garnered attention when it posted court papers detailing data collection rules for the NSA, it also provided a lot of detail that isn't easy to digest. The Electronic Frontier Foundation is more than willing to break down those rules, however -- and it doesn't like what it sees. It's concerned that there are too many exceptions letting the NSA store and transmit private information, with little oversight preventing investigators from seeing more US data than they should. Allegedly, the rules could defy American rights to anonymous speech; they may also violate attorney-client privileges both inside and outside of the US. We have a hunch that the NSA might disagree with this interpretation of its authority, but you can see all the points of contention for yourself at the link below. [Image credit: David Drexler, Flickr]
US government files criminal charges against Edward Snowden over PRISM leaks
The Washington Post reports tonight that, as expected, the US Government has filed criminal charges against Edward Snowden for leaking information about NSA surveillance programs to the Post and Guardian. The charges listed include Theft of Government Property, Unauthorized Communications on National Defense Information and "Willful Communication of Classified Information to an Unauthorized Person." The charges are filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, where the headquarters of Snowden's employer, Booz Allen Hamilton, are located. So what's next? According to the paper, the government has asked Hong Kong to detain Snowden on a provisional warrant, however if a fight over extradition or request for asylum could delay the process.
The Daily Roundup for 06.21.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Court documents reveal secret rules allowing NSA to use US data without a warrant
NSA's information gathering practices have been further detailed in court papers revealed by The Guardian. While the agency has continued to reiterate that it doesn't collect its data indiscriminately, the leaked papers detail several loopholes that allow it to gather data from both American and foreign origins without the need for a warrant. If you use data encryption or other privacy tools, your communications are likely to receive extra attention, and the agency can indefinitely keep any information assembled for "crypto-analytic, traffic analysis or signal exploitation purposes" -- in short, if the NSA believes may be relevant in the future. One reason to hold onto said files could simply be the fact that the data is encrypted and NSA wants to be able to analyze its protection. The security agency can also give the FBI and other government organizations any data if it contains a significant amount of foreign intelligence, or information about a crime that has (or will be) committed. Any data that's "inadvertently acquired" through the NSA's methods -- and could potentially contain details of US citizens -- can be held for up to five years before it has to be deleted. The Guardian's uploaded the leaked papers in full -- hit the source links for more.
Google challenges FISA court on government data requests, asks for ability to release more details
Google and other companies have already made general calls for more transparency in the wake of the PRISM revelations, and it looks like Mountain View is now escalating those requests to a court challenge. As The Washington Post reports, Google is asking the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court for some additional leeway with the government requests for data that it's able to disclose, and it's citing the First Amendment to make its case. In a statement provided to us (included in full after the break), a Google spokesperson says that the company is specifically asking the court to let it "publish aggregate numbers of national security requests, including FISA disclosures, separately," adding that "lumping national security requests together with criminal requests - as some companies have been permitted to do - would be a backward step for our users." That's in line with a statement Google made on Friday, which was echoed by Twitter, although there's no word yet on it or any other companies joining Google in the court challenge at this time.
FBI deputy director claims intelligence programs foiled NYC subway and NYSE bombings, among others (update)
The United States government's controversial data collection practices reportedly helped thwart plots to bomb the New York City subway system and New York Stock Exchange, Federal Bureau of Investigation deputy director Sean Joyce said during a House Intelligence Committee hearing this morning in Washington, DC. Information from the programs -- one focused on phone networks and another on the internet -- was also said to serve a role in stopping a separate bombing threat at Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten in Denmark, which ran a cartoon depicting Islam's Prophet Muhammad. National Security Agency director Keith Alexander added that, "50 terror threats in 20 countries" were stopped as a result of the controversial information gathering practices. "I would much rather be here today debating this than explaining why we were unable to prevent another 9/11'' attack," he said. When asked if the NSA is technologically capable of "flipping a switch" and listening in on Americans (whether by phone or internet), Alexander flatly answered, "no." Update: According to a Wired report, the man named during today's hearing in connection with the New York Stock Exchange bombing, Khalid Ouazzani, wasn't convicted of anything regarding the NYSE. Rather, his plea cites various money laundering in connection with terrorists, and his lawyer said, "Khalid Ouazzani was hot involved in any plot to bomb the New York Stock Exchange."
The Daily Roundup for 06.17.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Apple releases statement on customer privacy, received over 4,000 government information requests in six months
Following the likes of Microsoft and Facebook, Apple has publicly responded to the explosion of interest in the NSA's PRISM program, and has been authorized to reveal some of the data on what it's shared with the US government in the past. It apparently first heard of the program when the media started to ask about it earlier this month and has reiterated that it provides no government agency with direct access to its servers. It does, however, get its fair share of requests for customer data from US law enforcement, receiving between 4,000 and 5,000 of them between December 1 2012 and May 31 2013. These requests covered over 9,000 accounts or devices, and come from federal, state and local authorities. Apple elaborated a little on these information requests too, saying that the majority of these requests have involved searching for missing children, preventing suicides and robberies. The company says it has "always placed a priority on protecting our customers' personal data," and its legal team evaluates each request. Apparently, Apple can't decrypt (and thus share) iMessage and FaceTime data, which is encrypted end-to-end. We've added its full statement after the break.
US officials say less than 300 phone numbers were investigated in 2012, data thwarted terrorist plots
With all the coverage of PRSIM and the NSA's data collection have been getting recently, it's no surprise that the US government is eager to rationalize its actions. The crux of the latest defense seems to be that the government isn't using its treasure trove of data very often: according to recently declassified documents, the NSA used the database to investigate less than 300 phone numbers last year. These efforts reportedly prevented terrorist actions in more than 20 countries. It's a small assurance, but a vague one, and the NSA knows it -- according to the Associated Press, the organization is trying to get the records of these thwarted plots declassified to demonstrate the program's value to concerned citizens. The reveal of such data might be a convincing argument, but disquieting revelations continue to roll out: members of congress are now reporting that the NSA has acknowledged that it does not need court authorization to listen to domestic phone calls. Either way, we're certainly open to more government transparency.
