Microsoft admits Patriot Act can access EU-based cloud data (2011)

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/igeneration/microsoft-admits-patriot-act-can-access-eu-based-cloud-data/11225

by laumars • 13 years ago

177 25 13 years ago

laumars• 13 years ago

I find this article particularly disappointing (though sadly not at all surprising) given the recent ad campaign Microsoft have launched in the UK, which features the tag line: Your Privacy is Our Priority

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bt51M...

3rd3• 13 years ago

I recently thought of MS as one of the last giants that take privacy seriously. Just goes to show you never know.

noinsight• 13 years ago

This didn't surprise me at all. It's logical: if the company is U.S. based, it's susceptible to the Patriot act.

kryten6• 13 years ago

Yes I've noticed that. It's abhorrent that they suggest that they take privacy seriously. Read their terms and conditions for Office 365 and Windows Live and you will see what I mean.

Unless someone has redefined the term privacy for the modern age that is..

mosqutip• 13 years ago

"Microsoft cannot provide those guarantees. Neither can any other company."

The most telling and most important line in the article. Recent days have made it abundantly clear that anyone under US jurisdiction is susceptible to scrutiny and surveillance.

toyg• 13 years ago

Most large European corporations have known this for ages, and it's still a big obstacle for cloud offerings here in Europe when dealing with sensitive (or just very bureaucratic) engagements.

I know of at least one (massive) US company that had to create a special data centre in the UK to host sensitive financial data for a (massive) bank, because US-based servers were a huge no-no due to Patriot Act. In that case, it was promised that the provider might have to comply with US requests anyway, but would have been entitled to at least notify the client in advance... and I bet there was a huge discount to sweeten the deal.

mhseiden• 13 years ago

Given that multi-datacenter replication is a reality in massive systems, using the point of storage to determine jurisdiction seems like an antiquated idea. Perhaps a system based on the point of origin of data would lead to more enforceable and amicable legislation...

marcosdumay• 13 years ago

Physics are against rules beased on point of origin. The government of the point of storage has all the power to take the data, the one of the point of origin has none.

belorn• 13 years ago

It gets a bit scary when one consider the number of lawyers, priests, medical professionals, judges, or even complete political parties who's have their every email sent over to the US for data processing and maybe NSA for copying. Today I read an article about just such political party in Sweden. I can only hope that at least diplomats knows better, but even there I doubt that everyone is aware enough to always use secure email.

dendory• 13 years ago

Let's not forget that by default, Windows 8 now stores even your personal documents in the cloud. Basically everyone around the world is being directly spied upon by the NSA. We need a strong offshore tech community with real choices ASAP.

nivla• 13 years ago

Huh? Are you referring to Office 365 or is there something I missed?

kryten6• 13 years ago

I think the OP is referring to the fact you can now sign into Windows using your "Microsoft Account" which is technically your ex-Windows Live account. These accounts are hosted in the US looking at the terms and conditions.

For the majority of users, they will miss the tiny text at the bottom which allows local accounts an will be put off by the big warning about how crappy local accounts are immediately afterwards.

The result is a big conversion to Windows authentication being moved to "The Cloud" and therefore under the eyes of every nefarious agency out there.

ragesh• 13 years ago

Windows 8 on the desktop does no such thing by default. If you're talking about SkyDrive, it works just like DropBox or Google Drive. You have to move your files in to a specific folder for it to sync to the cloud. Everything else, like "My Documents" and all the other stuff is still very much local.

Having never used a Surface RT, I have no idea how it works there, but on the desktop Windows 8 does not force you to store anything in the cloud.

kryten6• 13 years ago

By default it asks you for your Microsoft account details on first boot. It is a secondary option now to use a local account and it's well hidden at the bottom of the screen. Also, to install applications from the Windows app store, you need to register your PC with Windows Live.

SkyDrive and the Windows Live accounts have access to your local machine as well.

This inversion from Windows 7 is not acceptable in my opinion.

skrebbel• 13 years ago

This is just plain FUD. Windows 8 doesn't put anything but my login info on their servers unless I ask it to.

kintamanimatt3• 13 years ago

Wait, your local login credentials (password presumably hashed) are passed to an external server for storage? Why in the world would that improve the user's experience?

kryten6• 13 years ago

It thoroughly suggests and tries to make you do it at first boot though by hiding the local account option and then making you confirm it.

ireadqrcodes• 13 years ago

The USA gets all of europe's bank transaction data above 5000€ or so :/

quantumpotato_• 13 years ago

SWIFT?

sepbot• 13 years ago

The title is a bit sensationalised. EU-based cloud data that is stored by Microsoft is accessible via Patriot Act because Microsoft is a US-based company and must comply with US laws regardless of where their data is physically stored.

Microsoft admits Patriot Act can access EU-based cloud data (2011)

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