Re: You're assuming that Microsoft didn't actually implement these "flaws" at the request of TLAs?
>>Much of this work was done for a reason, and it wasn't all to provide better reliabilitiy for Skype based communications. I believe Microsoft were part-paid by the NSA to decrypt Skype's peer to peer secure model, and hence the high price Microsoft was willing to pay for Skype.
Quite probably. But I'd say there was also a pretty big stick held up visibly as well. I used to work in telecomms and was once interviewed for a job writing an interface to enable real-time eavesdropping on phone conversations. (Hence this will be my second or third ever Anonymous post in all the many years I've been commenting on El Reg.). I didn't know what the job was when I applied for it, only that it was in my area of expertise (Add-Drop Multiplexer controller software) and paid well. I like to think that I would have turned it down for ethical reasons but I was rejected anyway due to a poor interview performance (seems likeliest).
Anyway, as I understand it, nobody gets away with not implementing backdoors for Intelligence Agencies. Nobody. Anybody recall when Vodafone's eavesdropping system was subverted by an unknown party to listen in on the Greek Prime Minister and cabinet? Much like this case, the hacker or hackers looked at what a State agency had done and then just repurposed it to their own benefit. I'm not sure the hackers were ever caught - somebody simply noticed some dodgy software connected to their "legal" APIs. That was ten years ago. Incidentally, the person in charge of the Vodafone networks in Greece was found hanged and Vodafone were very uncooperative in the investigation to the extent they were fined £76m for it. (Link for those who still have optimism in their hearts and need citations).
I don't trust the spy agencies, and nor should you.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
