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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.'"

6 of 136 comments (clear)

  1. Ah, the consequences of closed-source by staltz · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The Skype P2P protocol has always been an issue to worry about. It's hard to break/understand, and I've seen research papers that just scratched the surface of the protocol.

    I never doubted that really smart minds (like Russians) would eventually crack it and exploit it. This would never happen with an open-source protocol.

    1. Re:Ah, the consequences of closed-source by iggymanz · · Score: 4, Interesting

      no one with a smart mind cracked it, microsoft just rolled over for the russian government

    2. Re:Ah, the consequences of closed-source by fustakrakich · · Score: 5, Insightful

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

      Nor has any other business approaching the size of Microsoft. In fact, nobody can get that big without 'assistance' from the authorities. Despotism is big business, the rewards are well worth the collateral damages.

      --
      “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
  2. How shocking! by Rosco+P.+Coltrane · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Closed source software with obscure network protocol, now owned by a corporation whose main concern isn't the users' best interest, turns out to be not so nice after all. News at 10...

    The best way to do use Skype for anything more important than saying hello to your grandmother for free on the internet is not to use Skype. Everybody with half a brain has known that for many years.Duh...

    --
    "A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
  3. Re:A reminder. by RabidReindeer · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Soviet Union was disbanded in the 90's

    And????

    Russia still remains. The KGB is now the FSB. Russia is more open, but it's still not the USA.

    And speaking of the USA, you do realize that Project Echelon and similar efforts have been busily tapping into communications in the Land of the Free for longer than there was a Skype?

  4. Re:A reminder. by Nerdfest · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You speak of the US as if they wouldn't do exactly the same thing (and almost certainly are). This is why there should be an open implementation that supports proper security.