Is Skype Snooping on Your Conversations?

[JMH]

Since launch, Skype has been regarded as secure and private, with its strong encryption and complex peer-to-peer network connections making calls almost impossible to intercept. Since Microsoft bought it out, though, things have been changing—and the Slate suggests your privacy may not be what it once was.

Five years ago, Skype was actively against helping law enforcement agencies. It claimed it could not conduct wiretaps because of its "peer-to-peer architecture and encryption techniques". Police forces in Germany were so annoyed they had software teams develop Trojans to help them record suspects' chats.

http://gizmodo.com/5928164/is-skype-snooping-on-your-conversations

 

[bassfisher6522]

I have no doubt that this is going on and probably for some time. Since 911, the government has infiltrated all aspects of communications, public and private. The sad part is that the population in general has no idea.

 

[Cayden]

That's... not good. I HIGHLY trust my Skype to send... private pictures and other things to people. The primary concern is that it's not Skype that's at fault but police agencies et al performing nefarious circumvention, this is unjust pure and simple.

 

[bassfisher6522]

That's... not good. I HIGHLY trust my Skype to send... private pictures and other things to people. The primary concern is that it's not Skype that's at fault but police agencies et al performing nefarious circumvention, this is injust pure and simple.

Agreed.

 

[JMH]

Skype handing over more chat data to law enforcement

Skype has expanded its cooperation with law enforcement in the United States, making text chats and user information more available to police, according to a new report in the Washington Post.

Real-time audio and video surveillance remains “impractical,” the paper concluded, “but that barrier could eventually vanish as Skype becomes one of the world’s most popular forms of telecommunication.”

Many have blamed Microsoft’s acquisition of Skype in May 2011, and subsequent technical changes to the VoIP app’s architecture. Citing an anonymous source, The Post said that police surveillance of online chats “had been made since last year.”

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/07/skype-handing-over-more-chat-data-to-law-enforcement/

 

[Cayden]

Wow. I have no idea what to say. I don't want to support Skype anymore, they can say goodbye to any subscription from me. Luckily I dont live in the US.

 

[JMH]

[h=1]Skype Responds to Claims of Increased Involvement with Law Enforcement[/h]

Ever since Skype updated its network to transfer the supernodes that power the service away from a P2P system and onto secure, Skype-run data servers, rumors have run rampant that the update occurred solely to make Skype more amicable to government wiretapping requests. Yesterday, the Washington Post ran a story claiming that Skype recently expanded its cooperation with authorities, and the architecture changes let the company provide more chat and user info to feds. Last evening, Skype officially responded to the various allegations in a blog post by COO Mark Gillett. In a nutshell, Gillett says the rumors are nuts.

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/skype_responds_claims_increased_involvement_law_enforcement

 

[Cayden]

I'm not sure I even want to read their executive's answer, be it lies, truth or a bit of both. It makes sense that Microsoft would want Skype to seem less 'exploitable' by consumers. I'm really only upset because I feel as though I can do nothing about this injustice, I want my privacy, if the government wants us to trust them and be 'law-abiding' citizens maybe they should stop treating everyone like criminals in the first place.