Facebook appears to be trying to create end-to-end encryption across the company and its network. This move will include encrypting the links between its data centers. The company's goal is to keep the government at the front door, and close the backdoors .
The social network's head of security infrastructure, Gregg Stefancik, told ZDNet reporters this morning that information leaked by Edward Snowden indicates that the US National Security Agency (NSA) had backdoors into data stored by companies like Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Apple, and that they are concerned about government interference.
He said his company had been trying to start encrypting links between data centers for several years.
“Snowden validated much of what we knew was needed to protect the public.”
“It’s quite complex. It’s more complex than with consumer devices on a web front-end encryption, as we call it. This threat is very different because it comes from the network provider level. The complexity of our infrastructure means that unfortunately we’re not there yet. We’ve prioritized encrypting the most sensitive traffic on Facebook, and we’re working aggressively to get to the point where we can tell you that we’ve encrypted everything between our data centers.”
It should be noted that encrypting these links may not be enough if the Attorney General's Office demands otherwise. A warrant from the Office is sufficient for monitoring telecommunications, as all service providers are forced to assist with decrypting encrypted communications under a warrant.
