April 2, 2013
Saudi Arabia Government Threatens to Ban Skype, WhatsApp and other VOIP Services
No, not the US this time, Saudi Arabia is the latest to join the anti-Skype brigade as it threatens to ban essentially all VoIP communications in the country unless those communications fall within the regulations.
Regulations that involve the government being allowed to snoop in on communications, which can't be done practically if the communications are encrypted.
While the government hasn't said exactly why these apps are being targeted, it did mention Skype, WhatsApp and Viber as falling outside the rules. All three are very popular VoIP services, the latter two mostly on mobile phones.
Saudi Arabia has a history of going against communication methods it can't control, it banned BlackBerry's built-in messaging service temporarily a few years ago over the use of encryption.
Categories:
Privacy,
Saudi Arabia,
Security,
Skype,
WhatsApp
October 21, 2011
Skype lapses allows hacker to track your BitTorrent downloads
The method, which is laid out in a recently published academic paper, works even when Skype users have configured their accounts to accept calls only from people in their contact lists. It also works against Skype users who aren't currently logged in, as long as they've used the VoIP program in the past three days. The system is able to link an individual Skype user to specific BitTorrent activity, even when they share the IP address with others over a local area network that uses NAT, or network address translation.
“We have shown that it is possible for an attacker, with modest resources, to determine the current IP address of identified and targeted Skype user[s] (if the user is currently active),” the 14-page paper stated. “In the case of Skype, even if the targeted user is behind a NAT, the attacker can determine the user's public IP address. Such an attack could be used for many malicious purposes, including observing a person's mobility or linking the identity of a person to his internet usage.”The scientists found that it was relatively easy to find the ID of most Skype users when their email address and birth name are known to the attacker. Additional information, such as the target's city of residence, sex, or age, brought greater accuracy to the task.
They then called the target's Skype account using a customized system that sent specially crafted packets. By examining the headers of the data that was returned, they had no trouble determining the person's IP address. Because the scientists prevented a TCP, or transmission control protocol, connection from being fully established during the probing, targets had no idea their Skype accounts were being tracked. The scientists devised the system so that it could track 10,000 people for about $500 per week.
After learning the IP addresses of individuals, the scientists tapped BitTorrent sites to track the specific downloads of addresses in their database. Even when one of the IP addresses was shared among many users on a single network, the method was able to single link a unique Skype user to a specific download by, among other things, collecting identifiers known as infohashes from BitTorrent networks.
The scientists said Google Talk, MSN Live and other real-time communication applications may also be susceptible to the technique, but they singled Skype out for containing what they called “a major privacy vulnerability.”
In a statement, Adrian Asher, chief information security officer in Microsoft's Skype division, said: “We value the privacy of our users and are committed to making our products as secure as possible. Just as with typical internet communications software, Skype users who are connected may be able to determine each other's IP address. Through research and development, we will continue to make advances in this area and improvements to our software.”The research paper, which is titled I Know Where You are and What You are Sharing, made several recommendations for improving Skype's ability to conceal the identity of its users.
“One solution that would go a long way is to design the VoIP system so that the callee's IP address is not revealed until the user accepts the call,” it stated. “With this property, Alice would not be able to inconspicuously call Bob. Moreover, if Alice is a stranger (that is, not on Bob's contact list), and Bob configures his client to not accept calls from strangers, then this design would prevent any stranger from tracking him, conspicuously or otherwise.”A PDF of the paper is here.
August 4, 2011
Skype 2.1 for Android enables video on majority of Android devices
When Skype brought video chatting on Android it drew criticism that only a handful of phones were initially supported, leaving out popular Android phones from Samsung and HTC. This issue seems to be resolved with version 2.1 of Skype for Android, which added support for 17 popular devices. The app is now available to download from the Android Market and works over both Wi-Fi and 3G connections.
If you really want to use Skype for Android, but your phone is not on the supported devices list, you should still be able to enable video calling in the Skype settings (just go to "Skype settings" after launching the app and select "enable video calling"), but only if you are using Android 2.2 or newer. Skype warns that in this case, video call quality may not be as good as on a certified device.
Skype also launched this week a tablet-optimized version of the app for iPad owners.
Categories:
Android,
Android Phones,
Skype,
Skype 2.1
July 19, 2011
Skype Promises to Fix Cross Site Scripting Bug
The flaw was discovered by independent security researcher Levent Kayan, who warned that a hacker might be able to enter a string of JavaScript code into the "mobile phone" field. This would enable a hacker – provided he or she could trick a victim into adding them as a contact – to either compromise the user's Skype account or to load malware onto the user's PC. Skype said that the bug is not very serious, but nonetheless promised an update by the end of the week.
The server-side bug created a possible mechanism for miscreants to redirect Skype users to potentially malicious websites, providing they successfully tricked users into adding them as a contact, as the VoIP outfit explains in an update to its official security blog.
Skype for Windows is not correctly validating some fields of your contacts' profiles. What this means is if one of your Skype contacts has put some specific strings into their profile, it could result in your Skype Home area being redirected to another web page or a message being displayed.Cross Site Scripting (XSS) flaws, in general, can be used to present content or pop-ups from potentially hostile websites as if the content had originated from other domains. The class of vulnerability is sometimes used as an adjunct to more highly evolved and subtle phishing scams.
In order for someone to cause these messages to be popped up or to redirect you to a website, they would first have to be one of your accepted Skype contacts. However, this vulnerability should not be there and there is a fix, which we are finalising testing of, that is due to be pushed out early next week.
Skype said the necessary fix will be applied without troubling its users with software updates, indicating the bug can be resolved by an update to backend systems alone.
July 6, 2011
Facebook Unveils Video Calling Powered by Skype
"Video calling is the first example of what we think of as a great social app," Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said during a press event at the company's Palo Alto, California, headquarters. "The integration that we've done could not have been done without the great social infrastructure we've rolled out over the last five years," he said.
The group chat tool is based on Facebook's existing Groups setup, which is now used by about 50 per cent of all Facebookers, according to Zuckerberg. The new design includes a browser sidebar that provides quick access to those you chat with most, and it offers a "call" button that launches the video service.
The video service requires a plug-in, but you can place a call to your Facebook friends that will then send them a notice pointing them to the plug-in. The service does not offer group video calling, but Zuckerberg indicated that this will eventually be rolled into the service.
The service cannot be used to call existing off-Facebook Skype clients – or vice versa. But Skype product manager Mike Barnes said that the two companies will eventually provide such off-Facebook calling.
Zuckerberg unveils video calling on Facebook
Facebook has already started to roll the new tools across its site, and "millions" of users. Bates says that the video service will reach about one per cent of users on Wednesday. According to Skype CEO Tony Bates, the two companies have been working on the video service for the past six months.
In late June, Zuckerberg told a Seattle audience that Facebook would unveil something "awesome" today, and last week, Techcrunch reported that this would involve integrating the social network with the Skype VoIP service, which is now owned by Microsoft. Redmond is a Facebook investor and longtime Facebook partner. Microsoft's Bing underpins search on Facebook, and Facebook may be used to personalized your results on Bing. Microsoft announced in May it's buying Skype for $8.5bn.
Update: This story has been updated with additional information from Facebook's press event.
Categories:
Facebook,
Facebook Video Call,
Skype,
Social Media,
Tech News
June 30, 2011
Skype Releases Cross-Platform Video for Android Users
Skype's Android client now supports cross-platform video calling, so mobile users can see desktop users and no one has to feel jealous of Apple's FaceTime any more.
The new capability is limited to four models of Android handset, the Desire S, Xperia Neo and Pro and (of course) the Nexus S, but if you have one of those phones then you should be able to make video calls to desktop colleagues and friends over both Wi-Fi and 3G connections.
Video calls between Android devices have been possible for a while, but making a video call from a handset to a desktop has always been difficult on Android, with very limited options available. For most Android users that's still true, but Skype promises that more handsets will be supported "very soon".
The new Android client can switch between front and rear video cameras, so you can show people what you're seeing as well as your own face, and claims to connect to any Skype client including the iPhone and the various Skype-enabled TVs that are now available.
The client is already in the UK Android Marketplace, or can be downloaded direct onto a phone from Skype.
June 25, 2011
Skype for iPad Coming Soon
After plenty of success with the iPhone version of the Skype app, the company is finally releasing an official version for the iPad. Skype hasn't announced a date for release yet, but video of the app has leaked out online, and the app is expected to be approved soon. Skype VP of Consumer and Product Design Rick Osterloh said that the iPhone version of Skype burst out of the gate quickly, with a big launch and "a userbase that doubled in just a month's time." And he said the iPad version should "have a similar success," especially since it's basically the same in functionality: chatting, audio and video calling, and all of the other standard actions you can expect from Skype. The current app has been in testing for a few months now, and Osterloh is excited to unleash it on the public.
A few features in the full PC/Mac app didn't make it in, Osterloh says, perhaps most notably the ability to do file sharing. But that's obviously just because of the way the iPad deals with files. While the company was fine with simply having an iPhone app that was iPad compatible during the first release of the iPad, the camera in the iPad 2 was what made this app "super compelling."
When asked if Skype had ever butted heads with Apple over duplicating functionality on the iPhone in terms of FaceTime or simple audio calling, and he said no -- "they've been super supportive," and that Skype was invited onstage with Apple during the reveal of iOS 4.0. When also asked about a possible Twitter-style deal, where Skype might be included in the OS itself, and Osteroh said there weren't any plans for that yet, but "in general, we're always interested in deeper integration."
Skype for iPad shouldn't be too surprising a release -- ever since the iPad got a camera on it, it was likely that we'd see some version built especially for the bigger tablet. But according to Osteroh, it's a solid release for the company, and yet another step out onto mobile devices for one of the premiere communication networks online. We'll let you know as soon as we see the app live in the App Store -- it shouldn't be too long.
June 17, 2011
Microsoft gets antitrust approval to buy Skype
Microsoft has won U.S. antitrust approval to buy the Internet phone service Skype, the Federal Trade Commission said in a website posting on Friday.
Microsoft announced in May it was buying Skype for $8.5 billion, its biggest-ever acquisition, placing a rich bet on mobile and the Internet to try and best rivals such as Google Inc.
The approval was announced in a listing of deal approvals that comes out several times a week.
Microsoft's interest in the money-losing, but popular service highlights a need to gain new customers for its Windows and Office software. Skype has 145 million users on average each month and has gained favor among small businesses.
Categories:
Microsoft,
Microsoft Acquires Skype,
Skype,
Tech News
May 11, 2011
Microsoft Acquires Skype for $8.5 Billion
Skype will be integrated into Microsoft devices and systems such as Xbox and Kinect, Xbox Live, the Windows Phone, Lync and Outlook, Microsoft said in a statement. The company has pledged to continue supporting and developing Skype clients on non-Microsoft platforms as well.
The deal, which was spearheaded by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer with assistance from Charles Songhurst, the company’s head of corporate strategy, was completed Monday evening, AllThingsD reported earlier.
The acquisition is an expensive one for Microsoft. Not only is it the largest price Microsoft has paid for a company in decades, Skype is not yet profitable. Despite revenues totaling $860 million last year and operating profits of $264 million, the company lost $6.9 million overall, according to documents filed with the SEC. And the company carries $686 million in debt.
Much of the company’s appeal rests in its largest user base of 663 million, 145 million of which use Skype monthly (Update: Microsoft says Skype has 170 million regular users), and 8.8 million of which are paying customers.
There is one clear set of winners here: Skype’s investors. A group including Silver Lake, Index Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz and the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) Investment Board purchased the company from eBay for $2.75 billion in September 2009.
In August, Skype filed for an IPO but put plans on hold after Tony Bates joined the company as CEO in October. Bates will take on the title of president of the Microsoft Skype Division and report directly to Ballmer.
May 9, 2011
Skype for Mac update will fix a dangerous security hole
Gordon Maddern of security firm Pure Hacking first discovered the vulnerability and created a proof of concept exploit using the Metasploit tool. He said, "The long and the short of it is that an attacker needs only to send a victim a message and they can gain remote control of the victim's Mac. It is extremely wormable and dangerous."
Skype didn't make it easy for Maddern to flag the hole, with the researcher claiming he had "a lot of trouble trying to find the right person to notify". Then over a month later, Maddern thought the vulnerability was still open as Skype hadn't informed him of any patch release.
But it turns out that Skype did release a patch, but very, very quietly. In a blog post, Adrian Asher of Skype security said it released a patch for the problem on 14 April, but only a manual update as there were no reports of the exploit being used in the wild. Users aren't prompted for the update, but can download it now by clicking on 'Check for Updates'.
This week will see an update for Skype for Mac that will notify users with a prompt that they need to download it. This release will carry some additional updates and bug fixes.
Skype has been pretty busy on the security front recently. Last month there were some fairly major vulnerabilities with the Skype Android app.
Categories:
Hack Pro,
Hacking Tricks,
Skype
May 5, 2011
Facebook To Buy Skype? [REPORT]
One of the sources said Facebook is considering a buyout of Skype at a price of between $3 billion and $4 billion.
The other source told Reuters the deal won’t be a purchase by Facebook but rather a joint venture between Facebook and Skype.
Skype and Facebook are no strangers. In October, when Skype released its version 5.0 software for Windows, it included a Facebook tab that let users chat or call Facebook friends via Skype, right from the Facebook newsfeed that can be viewed from within the Skype application.
Facebook isn’t the only one chasing Skype. One of the sources talking to Reuters added that Google was also in “early talks” with Skype about a joint venture.
Update: When we contacted Skype Wednesday night, the company responded, “As a practical matter, we avoid commenting on rumor and speculation.”
Let us know in the comments what you think of this deal and who stands to gain the most.
Categories:
Facebook,
Hacking Tricks,
Microsoft,
Skype
December 30, 2010
Skype updated to 3.0 for iPhone and adds video calling
In a move that's sure to make users stand up and say "Hallelujah," the latest update to the Skype app for iPhone finally adds video calling.
The newest version of the app will allow users to make video Skype to Skype calls from their iPhone via Wi-Fi and 3G, and also call Skype desktop users on both OS X and Windows (and we presume their sorely neglected Linux users), as well as those using Skype on their iPhones and iPads.
Naturally, if you're on an iPad, you won't get to send video back -- and you have to deal with the iPhone interface since there isn't a native Skype app for the iPad. But, iPad 2 could change that. If the new hardware is released with a camera, Skype will be ready for it, and hopefully with an iPad-optimized app as well.
So, have fun with video chatting via Skype and let us know what you think of it in the comments!
Source: Itunes
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