Microsoft denies potential privacy violation in Windows 8's SmartScreen system

With security researcher Nadim Kobeissi having recently pointed out that there is a potentially "very serious privacy problem" in the SmartScreen system of Microsoft's forthcoming Windows 8 OS, the software giant has rebuffed the insinuation about Windows 8 app spying via SmartScreen.

Kobeissi, who is a Canadian of Lebanese origin, had recently raised concerns that Windows 8 is building up a comprehensive record of all apps which client store on their computers via the SmartScreen app. 

According to Kobeissi, since the SmartScreen checks apps which users want to install against a database of identified dodgy code and warns them if Microsoft's records hint about any problem, the issue that is of potential concern is that Windows 8 has apparently been so configured that Microsoft is instantly informed about all the apps downloaded and installed by users. 

Kobeissi said that the "very serious privacy problem" stems from the fact that Microsoft is the key point of authority and data collection/retention, and is thus "vulnerable to being served judicial subpoenas or National Security Letters intended to monitor targeted users." 

With Kobeissi hinting that users' data is fed back to a secret room at Microsoft, and can be examined by the FBI, RIAA, or the Rand Corporation, a Microsoft spokesperson clarified that though, like all online services, IP addresses were required for connecting users to Microsoft's services, the company neither uses the data to identify, contact or target advertising to its users nor does it share the data with third parties.