As of this writing, it remains unclear as to just how many Yahoo users were simultaneously tracked by the GCHQ's five-minute interval screenshot method.Any Internet data flowing through those fiber optic cables, if not encrypted, can be intercepted in the same way.it would appear that a surprising number of people use webcam conversations to show intimate parts of their body to the other person."Also, the fact that the Yahoo software allows more than one person to view a webcam stream without necessarily sending a reciprocal stream means that it appears sometimes to be used for broadcasting pornography."The newspaper claimed the operation codenamed Optic Nerve stored images to agency databases regardless of whether individuals were suspected of wrongdoing.It added that instead of recording webcam chats it saved one image every five minutes from users' feeds.Dating between 20, the GCHQ files reportedly show in one six-month period alone, the agency collected webcam imagery, including substantial quantities of sexually explicit communications, from more than 1.8 million Yahoo user accounts globally.Optic Nerve began as a prototype in 2008 and was still active in 2012, The Guardian said.The method the GCHQ reportedly used was to tap directly into fiber optic cables passing through the UK to collect one image of a Yahoo user using their webcams every five minutes, as part of its Project Tempora, according to .

"We are committed to preserving our users' trust and security and continue our efforts to expand encryption across all of our services."GCHQ declined to comment on the claims.

Revealing that sexually explicit pictures proved to be a problem for GCHQ, the leaked document said: "Unfortunately...

it would appear that a surprising number of people use webcam conversations to show intimate parts of their body to the other person.

First of all, it's important to clarify that the GCHQ is not accused of hacking into computers and intercepting webcam feeds directly from the machines of Yahoo users, like hackers can by installing RAT (Remote Access Tool) malware on a victim's laptop or PC.

Furthermore, the GCHQ did not need Yahoo's cooperation to execute its webcam spying project.