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Former Microsoft Privacy Chief Doesn't Trust Company, Uses Open Source Software

Posted by timothy on from the takes-one-to-know-one dept.

MojoKid writes "Microsoft's onetime Chief Privacy Advisor, Caspar Bowden, has come out with a vote of no-confidence in the company's long-term privacy measures and ability or interest to secure user data in the wake of the NSA's PRISM program. From 2002 — 2011, Bowden was in charge of privacy at Microsoft, and oversaw the company's efforts in that area in more than 40 countries, but claims to have been unaware of the PRISM program's existence while he worked at the company. In the two years since leaving Microsoft, Bowden has ceased carrying a cell phone and become a staunch open source user, claiming that he no longer trusts a program unless he can see the source."

11 of 199 comments (clear)

  1. Now, also make it understandable by d33tah · · Score: 5, Funny

    The next obvious step is not to use it unless you can understand it.

  2. Good for him by techsoldaten · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Without assigning any kind of reason to his shift in attitudes - it's refreshing to see a privacy officer come out like this. I can't think of a reason any CPOs should act differently.

    1. Re:Good for him by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 5, Insightful

      He seems to have gone a little too "tinfoil-hat" for my tastes. He doesn't carry a cell phone anymore. I think that says a lot more than becoming an open source user.

      If the government mandated that everybody carry a tracking device, keep it on at all times, and that they'd be storing the tracking data in perpetuity, there'd be a goddamn revolution.

      But when they do so voluntarily, and the NSA steals all that data - leading to the exact same end point - people are all like, "oh, look, Walter White is twerking again."

      At least this guy is being true to his privacy milieu.

      --
      My God, it's Full of Source!
      OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
  3. Routing Connections from Point A to Point B by jiadran · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The article mentions that a connection from one point to anohter within Europe would likely stay within Europe. Maybe technically... On a recent trip to Paris I did a traceroute to an e-mail server in Switzerland, and essentially what I saw was: Paris (F) -> London (UK) -> Paris (F) -> London (UK) -> Paris (F) -> Lyon (F) -> Geneva (CH). There might be good reasons why the connection would go through London, but twice, and then come back? Considering that the UK is closely collaborating with the US in its data gathering, I have a feeling that this routing was not entirely by accident.

    1. Re:Routing Connections from Point A to Point B by StripedCow · · Score: 5, Funny

      There might be good reasons why the connection would go through London, but twice, and then come back?

      Perhaps the packet forgot its toothbrush?
      Never attribute to malice what can be adequately explained by stupidity.

      --
      If Pandora's box is destined to be opened, *I* want to be the one to open it.
  4. The next obvious step is to ... by Taco+Cowboy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ... use caution in everything we do.

    There is no way we can understand everything. There are just too many things out there that we use daily - even software alone consist of so many layers ( from the spreadsheet software program that we use, to the device drivers, the OS, to the embedded firmwares residing inside the chips, to the myriad mix of software that keep the Net humming.

    Yes, I know, it is no fun.

    The paranoids have a point, after all --- BIG BROTHERS (plural) want to know everything about us.

    --
    Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !
    1. Re:The next obvious step is to ... by Fnord666 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      even software alone consist of so many layers ( from the spreadsheet software program that we use, to the device drivers, the OS, to the embedded firmwares residing inside the chips, to the myriad mix of software that keep the Net humming.

      Don't forget the compilers and linkers that build the software. The source may look fine, but where did the compiler come from?

      --
      'The tyrant will always find pretext for his tyranny.' - Aesop's Fables
    2. Re:The next obvious step is to ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      There's still the trick described by Ken Thompson which involves a compiler taking the source code of a compiler but also injecting a backdoor into the binary at the same time. This means that there can be a trojan replicating itself over multiple generations even though it never shows up in the source.

    3. Re:The next obvious step is to ... by Thanshin · · Score: 5, Funny

      Open source compilers... that compile themselves.

      It's compilers all the way down.

  5. Message received by Tokolosh · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Recent history teaches us that he knows things that he is not allowed to talk about. This is his way of legally signalling that all is not well.

    We have congresscritters trying to send the same message, without being labeled "traitors". See http://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-udall-statement-on-reports-of-compliance-violations-made-under-nsa-collection-programs

    --
    Prove anything by multiplying Huge Number times Tiny Number
  6. I'm surprised MS had a Chief Privacy Advisor... by jkrise · · Score: 5, Funny

    that itself is more newsworthy. At first glance I thought Piracy Advisor; who suggests making things difficult to pirate.

    Why would MS appoint somebody to advise them on privacy of their customer's data? How does it benefit the shareholders?

    --
    If you keep throwing chairs, one day you'll break windows....