- Microsoft has acted swiftly after the Web site Cryptome
leaked its "Global Criminal Compliance Handbook." The guide does
exactly what it says: outlines the surveillance services the software company
will perform for law enforcement agencies on its online platforms. These
include its email services, such as Hotmail, MSN, Messenger, Office Live,
Windows Live, and even Xbox Live. Gulp.
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- The 22-page guide has "Confidential For Law Enforcement
Use Only" stamped all over it, but that didn't stop the website from
putting the PDF up over the weekend. Cryptome Editor John Young received
an notice from the site's host, Network Solutions yesterday, citing the
Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Unless he removes the guide, they fingerwagged,
Cryptome will be disabled tomorrow, February 25. (Update: the Cryptome.org
website is already showing a "currently unavailable" message
from Network Solutions.)
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- Young is most incensed by "its improper use of copyright
to conceal from its customer violations of trust towards its customers,"
he told the Geekosystem Web site. He added that Microsoft was "repugnant"
in the way it was allowing the law enforcement agencies to grab its clients'
data. "This information would also be equally useful to customers
to protect themselves when Microsoft cannot, due to its legal obligations
under CALEA." [CALEA is the wiretap bill that was passed in 1994.]
Will he take down the guide? Like hell he will!
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- This is not the first time that Cryptome has been pursued
using the DMCA. Last year it put up Yahoo's surveillance guide, which included
a price list. Yahoo shouted until it was even more purple in the face than
it normally is, but to no avail: the guide is still online--although, one
assumes, the prices have gone up.
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- Via Geekosystem
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