Microsoft to Encrypt Internet Traffic to Stop NSA Spying

The NSA. Spying. Surveillance. Edward Snowden.
We’ve been hearing about these left and right in the past year, and it seems that the issue is not going anywhere any time soon. In fact, major tech players have made their voices heard and are taking some steps to counter “alleged” NSA spying. About a month ago, we heard about Yahoo adding email encryption exactly due to that.

See also: Windows 8.1 Upgrade And Security Increase

Now, as we look at the end of 2013, Microsoft is also ramping up its security efforts.

According to a Washinton Post article, Microsoft has already had its own suspicions about the NSA’s activities. Who wouldn’t, after all the talk? As they say, where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Anyhow, when the news came out that the NSA was gaining access to the networks of Google and Yahoo, Microsoft execs decided to do something about it.

There is no solid evidence that the NSA is actually doing something “against” Microsoft, but it is only understandable that the big boys will want to take steps. Just in case.
So what are they doing?
Microsoft is going to join the ranks of its contemporaries who are already beefing up their defenses against intrusions of this kind. The spying issue is much bigger than the tech companies, sure, and the government has to be one to put measures in place in terms of legislation, but at the end of the day, the onus to take care of their products lies on Microsoft et al.
Since we know that “data collection” by the NSA can be done at points outside of the private networks, this beefing up of security – encryption included – is something that should make privacy-focused individuals rest easier. Then again, we know that TAO (NSA’s elite hacking team) exists. Who’s to say they don’t just get around the encryption somehow?
What do you think of this whole brouhaha?


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