The whistle blower website Cryptome is currently offline. At the week-end, the site had published a handbook by Microsoft Online Services, explaining law enforcement authorities how to access data of Microsoft’s users.
In the handbook, Microsoft talks about possibilities offered to law enforcement authorities concerning getting access to user data, in cases like kidnapping, and murder, bomb and terrorism threats. For such cases, Microsoft is also offering a special authorities hotline that is answered 24/7.
Read the Global Criminal Compliance Handbook
[doc title=”Microsoft Global Criminal Compliance Handbook” txtbear=67313 align=center auth=hvH9sSvT]
Microsoft services accessible to law enforcement authorities include Windows Live Messenger, Hotmail as well as Xbox Live. Microsoft can provide detailed log files including access IP addresses, contents of e-mail folders and Windows Live Spaces ownership data. For Xbox Live, the following data are logged:
- Gamertag
- Credit card number
- Phone number
- First/last name with zip code
- Serial number but only if box has been registered online. “Console ID” is better.
- Service request number from Xbox Hotline (e.g. SR 103xx-xx-xx)
- E-mail account (e.g. @msn.com, @hotmail.com or any other Windows Live ID account name)
- IP history for the lifetime of the gamertag (only one gamertag at a time)
It is not the only handbook of this type that Cryptome has published. At the week-end, similar documents from Facebook, AOL and Skype have been published. Cryptome owner John Young defends their publication, as they would contain important information, so users could protect their personal data against breaches of trust by the providers.