Rather than information about than customers' private communications, thousands of companies are providing intelligence organizations with data such as equipment specifications, sources tell Bloomberg. June 13, 2013 11:25 PM PDT (Credit: Declan McCullagh/CNET) In a twist on recent revelations about classified U.S. intelligence gathering, thousands of companies are reportedly supplying national security agencies with sensitive information in exchange for classified intelligence. Many of the same Internet and telecommunications companies that were recently linked to the National Security Agency's controversial PRISM program are voluntarily providing intelligence organizations with data such as equipment specifications rather than customers' private communications, sources tell Bloomberg. Related stories Yahoo reportedly fought court order before joining PRISM NSA whistleblower: U.S has been hacking into China, Hong Kong NSA leaker's purported online activity, interests come to light Software makers, Internet security providers, and telecommunications providers, among others, have agreements with the NSA, as well as the CIA, FBI, and U.S. military to provide information that could be used not only to defend the nation's infrastructure but to infiltrate its adversaries' networks, Bloomberg reported. In some cases, companies like Microsoft might tip off the government to bug in its software before publicly releasing a fix, a process a Microsoft spokesperson said designed to be give government agencies "an early start" on assessing and mitigating the risk. In other cases, Bloomberg reported that telecommunications companies provide access to offshore data and facilities, access that would normally require a judge's order in the U.S. However, the report notes that the cooperation is legal and that no oversight under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is necessary. Nine U.S. Internet companies allegedly cooperated with the NSA's PRISM program, which reportedly grants "intelligence services direct access to the companies' servers" and that "from inside a company's data stream the NSA is capable of pulling out anything it likes."
Rather than information about than customers' private communications, thousands of companies are providing intelligence organizations with data such as equipment specifications, sources tell Bloomberg.
In a twist on recent revelations about classified U.S. intelligence gathering, thousands of companies are reportedly supplying national security agencies with sensitive information in exchange for classified intelligence.
Many of the same Internet and telecommunications companies that were recently linked to the National Security Agency's controversial PRISM program are voluntarily providing intelligence organizations with data such as equipment specifications rather than customers' private communications, sources tell Bloomberg.
Related stories
- Yahoo reportedly fought court order before joining PRISM
- NSA whistleblower: U.S has been hacking into China, Hong Kong
- NSA leaker's purported online activity, interests come to light
Software makers, Internet security providers, and telecommunications providers, among others, have agreements with the NSA, as well as the CIA, FBI, and U.S. military to provide information that could be used not only to defend the nation's infrastructure but to infiltrate its adversaries' networks, Bloomberg reported.
In some cases, companies like Microsoft might tip off the government to bug in its software before publicly releasing a fix, a process a Microsoft spokesperson said designed to be give government agencies "an early start" on assessing and mitigating the risk.
In other cases, Bloomberg reported that telecommunications companies provide access to offshore data and facilities, access that would normally require a judge's order in the U.S.
However, the report notes that the cooperation is legal and that no oversight under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is necessary.
Nine U.S. Internet companies allegedly cooperated with the NSA's PRISM program, which reportedly grants "intelligence services direct access to the companies' servers" and that "from inside a company's data stream the NSA is capable of pulling out anything it likes."
