New Snowden Leaks: NSA and GCHQ can break some encryption

In the latest series of intelligence leaks by Mr Snowden, it was reported that US and UK cracked technology to break encryptions.

06:45 07 September 2013

In the latest intelligence leaks by Mr Snowden, it alleges the UK’s GCHQ and US National Security Agency (NSA) of hacking key online security protocols. It added that intelligence of both countries have the technology to encrypt internet services such as email, banking, and medical records.

The reports said that both countries are focusing on the encryption used in remote business communication networks, 4G smartphones, online shopping, and email.

The NSA’s top-secret operation with codename Bullrun, is said to be costing the US government £160million per year. Meanwhile, the British counterpart is called Edgehill.

The report also said that under operation Bullrun, NSA has built powerful supercomputers to try to crack the technology in order to encrypt and scramble personal information. In addition, the NSA is said to have established collaboration with unnamed technology companies to build software giving the government access to information even before it is encrypted and sent over the internet.

Documents, which Mr Snowden provided to the Guardian, did not specify which technology companies participated in the operation.