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Russian FSB Can Reportedly Tap Skype Calls

Posted by Soulskill on from the in-soviet-russia-skype-calls-on-you dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Previous reports of a Microsoft provided backdoor to Skype has been unconfirmed. However, there are now reports that Russian federal security service FSB is able to tap call and locate users. 'FSB and the Internal Affairs Ministry (MVD) have been capable to wiretap and locate Skype users for some years already, reported Vedomosti on Thursday [Google translation of Russian original]. The newspaper is citing experts on information security. "Special services have been capable for several years not only to wiretap but also to locate a Skype user. That's why, for instance, employees of our company are forbidden to discuss business-related topics on Skype," General Director of Group-IB, Ilya Sachkov, says to Vedomosti. "After Microsoft acquired Skype in May 2011, it updated the software with technology allowing legitimate wiretapping," says Maksim Emm, Director of Peak Systems.'"

5 of 136 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Ah, the consequences of closed-source by benjfowler · · Score: 3, Informative

    Microsoft regularly rolls over for the Chinese government too.

    Microsoft has never met a dictator or despot they didn't like.

  2. Re:Jitsi by dkf · · Score: 2, Informative

    If one uses Jitsi and one uses Skype, why should they settle on the insecure option?

    They'll choose Skype because that's the one that the person who isn't a tech expert already has working. Unless you're really keen on doing more free tech support...

    --
    "Little does he know, but there is no 'I' in 'Idiot'!"
  3. Re:Ah, the consequences of closed-source by camperdave · · Score: 3, Informative

    Microsoft regularly rolls over for the Chinese government too.

    Microsoft has never met a dictator or despot they didn't like.

    Microsoft has never met an entity with a boatload of cash they didn't like.

    FTFY

    --
    When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
  4. Re:Ah, the consequences of closed-source by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    Why not? If a protocol was open source, writing backdoors into it would be even easier. I mean, how many people know how to inspect code and remove the parts that are malicious?

    You obviously do not understand open source. If a protocol or software gets big enough that a lot of people use it, it will also get a lot of developers looking at it. If a backdoor is written in, eventually someone will find it and report/patch it.

  5. Re:Ah, the consequences of closed-source by bruce_the_loon · · Score: 3, Informative

    Yeah, MS rolled over for the Russian government six years before they bought Skype. Good future planning on Balmer's part.

    The reading comprehension skills here astound me.

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    Trying to become famous by taking photos. Visit my homepage please.