How is Microsoft Protecting Your Data From Government Snooping?

There have been a growing number of stories related to government surveillance of internet data in recent days. Our customers have taken notice and we have heard a number of concerns related to the privacy of their data in Microsoft’s Cloud.

While we share in these concerns, the bottom line is Microsoft is doing everything they can to keep your data safe. More importantly, there is no indication that any of Microsoft’s data has been breached by the government. We are told that on the business platforms, Microsoft has had only a handful of requests to share data with the government and was able to work with clients to provide notice and assistance in the vast majority of the cases.

A recent press release explains what Microsoft is doing to keep your data private.

Highlights include:

Expanding Encryption:

• Microsoft is expanding or strengthening encryption across all of its services; particularly while data is transmitted over the internet
• If you are on Office 365, Microsoft already encrypts all information moving between your business and Microsoft, and Microsoft’s internal data centers by default
• These communication channels are protected by best-in-class cryptography including Perfect Forward Secrecy and 2048-bit Key lengths
• All information which is stored in a Microsoft data center is protected by industry leading encryption and security protocols

Reinforcing legal protections:

•  Committed to notifying any company when Microsoft receives a government request for access to their information
• Working with other cloud providers to make the government go directly to an individual company, rather than a cloud provider, to obtain data

Increasing Transparency:

•  Increasing the transparency of their software code, making it easier for customers to see for themselves that Microsoft products do not contain back doors.
• Opening a network of transparency centers in the US, America and Asia

For more information or to read the full press release, please see this article from Microsoft