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An notice to all users using skype

I will quote here a recent news post about microsoft reading all your messages.

[Image: 89vT9Eq.png]

Quote:Anyone who uses Skype has consented to the company reading everything they write. The H's associates in Germany at heise Security have now discovered that the Microsoft subsidiary does in fact make use of this privilege in practice.

Shortly after sending HTTPS URLs over the instant messaging service, those URLs receive an unannounced visit from Microsoft HQ in Redmond.

A reader informed heise Security that he had observed some unusual network traffic following a Skype instant messaging conversation. The server indicated a potential replay attack.

It turned out that an IP address which traced back to Microsoft had accessed the HTTPS URLs previously transmitted over Skype.

Heise Security then reproduced the events by sending two test HTTPS URLs, one containing login information and one pointing to a private cloud-based file-sharing service.

A few hours after their Skype messages, they observed the following in the server log:
65.52.100.214 - - [30/Apr/2013:19:28:32 +0200]
"HEAD /.../login.html?user=tbtest&password=geheim HTTP/1.1"

The access is coming from systems which clearly belong to Microsoft.

Source: Utrace They too had received visits to each of the HTTPS URLs transmitted over Skype from an IP address registered to Microsoft in Redmond.

URLs pointing to encrypted web pages frequently contain unique session data or other confidential information.

HTTP URLs, by contrast, were not accessed. In visiting these pages, Microsoft made use of both the login information and the specially created URL for a private cloud-based file-sharing service.

In response to an enquiry from heise Security, Skype referred them to a passage from its data protection policy:

"Skype may use automated scanning within Instant Messages and SMS to (a) identify suspected spam and/or (b) identify URLs that have been previously flagged as spam, fraud, or phishing links."

A spokesman for the company confirmed that it scans messages to filter out spam and phishing websites. This explanation does not appear to fit the facts, however. Spam and phishing sites are not usually found on HTTPS pages.

By contrast, Skype leaves the more commonly affected HTTP URLs, containing no information on ownership, untouched. Skype also sends head requests which merely fetches administrative information relating to the server. To check a site for spam or phishing, Skype would need to examine its content.

Back in January, civil rights groups sent an open letter to Microsoft questioning the security of Skype communication since the takeover. The groups behind the letter, which included the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Reporters without Borders expressed concern that the restructuring resulting from the takeover meant that Skype would have to comply with US laws on eavesdropping and would therefore have to permit government agencies and secret services to access Skype communications.
In summary, The H and heise Security believe that, having consented to Microsoft using all data transmitted over the service pretty much however it likes, all Skype users should assume that this will actually happen and that the company is not going to reveal what exactly it gets up to with this data.

Source article:
source

if i posted this in the wrong section please move it and sorry

[edit1]
some additions by helpfull people in this topic, if you are scared about your security
you should try out Jabber + Off the Record

here is a hackforums topic on how to set it up
[/edit1]
I've seen a similar article this morning. Just another reason why people should not use Skype.
Thank you for the share, people really need to know about this.
Good article, but what are some other alternatives?
I think mirc with ssl + FiSH encryption is still a good option, at least it was a few years back so im not completely sure right now.

It not too hard to setup and if you keep changing keys every x amount of time it would be pretty hard to decrypt the messages.
Pidgin/Jabber in combination with
http://www.cypherpunks.ca/otr/
(May 15, 2013 05:10 AM)TheCl0wnhelper Wrote:  Good article, but what are some other alternatives?

I suggest Jabber. There were some tutorials on HF but I can't seem to find them.

Edit: found one of the tutorials. https://hackforums.net/showthread.php?tid=3479563
(May 15, 2013 05:15 AM)DeadLine Wrote:  Pidgin/Jabber in combination with
http://www.cypherpunks.ca/otr/

that seems like a good alternative indeed, according to their website the support a shitload of chat systems

Quote:Supported chat networks:

AIM
Bonjour
Gadu-Gadu
Google Talk
Groupwise
ICQ
IRC
MSN
MXit
MySpaceIM
SILC
SIMPLE
Sametime
XMPP
Yahoo!
Zephyr
Excellent info here, not many people would really know this!
Thank you for the share. We should stop using skype!
🤭Thank you for the share.Nice post
Nice post, thank you for the share. :)
Cool post. But i think microsoft, firefox, google, ect are all up to the same. A simple trace log of a standalone sytem connected to the internet will have thousands of connections coming from akimah tecnology, verizone, and untraceable unspecified companys even the microsoft and verizone servers have so many ip ranges that they are impossible to block even when you disable manual downloads have no viruses or malware.

This days if your are dealing with any thing from the states or europe consider it a backdoor into your system on way or another and the O.P. has proved it. so much for freedom and civil liberty's.

wont be sending anything senstive over skype next time. think i should be looking for a alternative.
hahaha wow. this is pretty creepy! greedy companies
If you delete the message, is it still seen in full?
My point, I guess, is that you can be that person. Everyone has a dark moon, be the astronaut. You have the potential to be a greater person than you might possibly imagine.
Philsho
I never liked Skype it's the worst for IM.


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