Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Research Group Pushes to Ban Skype

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the only-as-secure-as-you-make-it dept.

cowmix writes "Hot on the heals of Skype being purchased by Ebay, a research group called Info-Tech just put out a recommendation to its customers that all corporations should ban the use of Skype on their networks. The reports sites a laundry list of issues it feels plagues Skype, most of which will have a familiar ring (ie the normal anti-IM and P2P talking points). Will this cool Skype's rapid progress into the business arena?"

4 of 196 comments (clear)

  1. Sounds Familiar by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This seems to be happening frequently. There was a push to ban Skype in Aussie-land recently. Seems rather typical, but I doubt the bad press will have too much effect on Skype's momentum. Any business considering Skype as a solution would've disregarded such issues already.

  2. Half-truths by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Skype is not standards-compliant true

    allowing it and any vulnerability to pass through corporate firewalls. false - true of any software

    Skype's encryption is closed source and prone to man-in-the-middle attacks. true - one has no cyptographic assurance that there is no MITM with Skype

    Enterprises using Skype risk a communication barrier with countries and institutions that have already banned the service. false

    Skype is undetectable, untraceable, and unauditable, putting organizations that are subject to compliance laws at risk. FUD

    The question of whether VoIP calls constitute a business record is a legal quagmire. Throwing Skype into the communications mix further clouds the issue.

    false - lots of businesses use VoIP

  3. Re:Not if by Gentlewhisper · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Not to sound like a troll, but who the hell is this Info-Tech group?

    Likewise we have groups like "The Yankee Group" and what have you endorsing cheesy TCO studies for Windows and stuff.

    So the dog has spoken, at the end of the day the question remains, who the hell fracking cares?

    --
    Online backup with Mozy, sounds like Ozzie, but more!
  4. Re:Not if by Jaseoldboss · · Score: 4, Interesting

    One of the reasons:

    Enterprises using Skype risk a communication barrier with countries and institutions that have already banned the service.

    So follow our advice, ban it and create a communications barrier first?

    Seriously though, isn't Skype bad? Close source, uses your bandwidth for other users. If it becomes the dominant standard surely that leaves it open to being milked for all it's worth by eBay?