US secret agents work at Microsoft: French intelligence

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US secret agents work at Microsoft: French intelligence
http://www.smh.com.au/breaking/0002/19/A27800-2000Feb19.shtml

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.


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