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Microsoft admits its data centers are vulnerable to NSA spying

Published Nov 15th, 2013 12:30PM EST
Microsoft Data Centers NSA

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Although Google has said that it’s deployed end-to-end encryption between its data centers to keep out the prying eyes of the National Security Agency, it doesn’t seem as though Microsoft has done any such thing just yet. Wired reports that Microsoft executive Dorothee Belz said this week that Microsoft’s “server-to-server transportation is generally not encrypted,” which is why the company is “currently reviewing our security system.” This is a concern because documents leaked by Edward Snowden recently showed how the NSA was able to hack into Google and Yahoo’s data centers to breaking into their main communications links between their private clouds and the public Internet. If Microsoft hasn’t yet implemented the server-to-server encryption that Google has implemented, this means its private data servers are wide open to NSA hacking.

Brad Reed
Brad Reed Staff Writer

Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.