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Researchers ID Skype, BitTorrent Users
itwbennett writes "Researchers have figured out a way to link online Skype users to their activity on peer-to-peer networks like BitTorrent. The team was able to sift out the nodes through which Skype calls are routed and determine the user's real IP address by sniffing the packets. To correlate the identified Skype users with files shared on BitTorrent, the researchers built tools to collect BitTorrent file identifiers, a BitTorrent crawler to collect IP addresses on the network and a verifier to match an online Skype user with an online BitTorrent user (PDF). 'As soon as the BitTorrent crawler detects a matching IP address, it signals the verifier, which immediately calls the corresponding Skype user and, at the same time, initiates a handshake with the BitTorrent client,' they wrote."
If they were criminals, wouldn't they keep their methods secret in order to blackmail or otherwise monetize it in some way? Research like this is the only way that security gets better.
If the researchers can do it, the bad guys may already be doing it.
All it is is data mining packets from skype nodes and comparing them to open torrent peer lists. This is not really surprising or scary to me. There are other 'researchers' who can link alot more data to you then this.
Because NAT and UPNP wouldn't make a random Skype user and a different BitTorrent user appear to be coming from the same IP address..
It should be considering it is the path to the machine that holds all of your personal information.
When you get a key duplicated, a key maker can easily sell a copy of that key, and link it to your name. What if your name is Bill Gates? "This key here is for Bill Gate's personal safe, and this one is for his house, perhaps you would like a copy?"
Just because its available, doesnt mean its not private, or doesnt come with some expectation of privacy. I dont expect the key maker to sell a copy of my key to someone who intends to harm me.