• By
  • Danny Yadron

The U.S. government’s chief electronic eavesdropper can pry into many encrypted communications even if they don’t get the cooperation from major Internet companies such as Google or AT&T , according to the latest leaked documents from former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden.

After years of code-breaking advances, the NSA now can crack most types of Internet encryption as it leverages a team of elite hackers and its influence on corporate and international encryption standards, according to simultaneous reports based on Snowden documents in the New York Times, the Guardian and ProPublica.

It has long been known the government can crack certain types of encryption, but it was never clear how much. The latest Snowden documents suggest the NSA has access to much of the Internet communication thought to be shielded from prying eyes.

The agency has had some success cracking Secure Sockets Layer, a type of Internet encryption used by webmail clients and other secure websites known as SSL, and virtual private networks or VPN’s. They’ve also been able to get into websites designated with HTTPS, a standard way to encrypt passwords, and encrypted instant messaging services. The Times article does not disclose how successful the NSA has been in those specific efforts and notes U.S. intelligence officials asked them not to publish the article.

The NSA has also engaged in a previously undisclosed lobbying campaign to weaken international encryption standards so the corporate and foreign government networks are easier to hack, the documents show.

The NSA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


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