Mobtown News: U.S./Microsoft Spying

["Max Obuszewski" <mobuszewski@afsc.org>]

Sydney Morning Herald

US secret agents work at Microsoft: French intelligence

Source: AFP | Published: Saturday February 19, 7:44 AM

PARIS, Feb 18 - A French intelligence report today
accused US secret agents of working with computer
giant Microsoft to develop software allowing
Washington to spy on communications around the world.

The report, drawn up by the Strategic Affairs Delegation (DAS), the
intelligence arm of the French Defence Ministry, was quoted in today's
edition of the news-letter Le Monde du Renseignement (Intelligence World).

Written by a senior officer at the DAS, the report claims agents from the
National Security Agency (NSA) helped install secret programmes on Microsoft
software, currently in use in 90 per cent of computers.

According to the report there was a 'strong suspicion' of a lack of security
fed by insistent rumours about the existence of spy programs on Microsoft,
and by the presence of NSA personnel in Bill Gates' development teams.

The NSA protects communications for the US government, and also intercepts
electronic messages for the Defence Department and other US intelligence
agencies, the newsletter said.

According to the report, 'it would seem that the creation of Microsoft was
largely supported, not least financially, by the NSA, and that IBM was made
to accept the (Microsoft) MS-DOS operating system by the same
administration.'

The report claimed the Pentagon was Microsoft's biggest client in the world.

Bruce K. Gagnon
Coordinator
Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space
PO Box 90083
Gainesville, Fl. 32607
(352) 337-9274
http://www.globenet.free-online.co.uk