Security agency like GCHQ already blamed for Spying and again something like this happens, Agency is stealing screenshots of thousands of Yahoo users through their webcam videos, according to the documents provided by NSA Leaker Snowden
Guardian reported the news first and explained the complete process how they spy.
GCHQ scooping up the sensitive images by intercepting the video chats which users use through Yahoo Messenger, the project named OPTIC NERVE was organized to intercept webcam images through Yahoo Messenger.
It is not clear by the report that how many users are affected by this spying, but according to the guardian-in one six-month period in 2008 GCHQ intercepted the video communications of 1.8 million users.
It is possible that the program was still active in 2012.
According to an estimate by digital analytics company comScore, Yahoo Messenger has 75 million users worldwide.
If confirmed, the Guardian’s report would represent ”a whole new level of violation of our users’ privacy,” Yahoo Inc. said in a written statement. The Sunnyvale, California-based company said it was unaware of such snooping and would never condone it, calling on governments across the world to reform their surveillance practices.
GCHQ’s webcam surveillance program was carried out in bulk, creating a large database where the communications of hundreds of thousands of people could later be analysts. It makes us remember of NSA’s collection which includes people’s phone, email, and credit card data.
Spy Agency GCHQ released the below statement to BBC NEWS:
“All of GCHQ’s work is carried out in accordance with a strict legal and policy framework which ensures that our activities are authorised, necessary and proportionate, and that there is rigorous oversight, including from the secretary of state, the interception and intelligence services commissioners and the Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee. All our operational processes rigorously support this position.”
