Monday, July 28, 2008

Eavesdropping on Skype, "...not a problem..."

There’s growing speculation coming out of Europe that there’s a backdoor in Skype that allows remote eavesdropping of telephone conversations.

A report in the reputable Heise Online says the issue was discussed at a meeting with ISPs last month where high-ranking officials at the Austrian interior ministry claims “it is not a problem for them to listen in on Skype conversations.”

The report said a number of others at the meeting confirmed that claim. (more)
The public believes Skype phone calls are encrypted; eavesdropping is not possible. This may yet be true. But, what if there is a back door? Why would a government official admit it? The bigger story here may be this is a serious intelligence leak, or an intelligence red herring. Stay tuned.
In the meantime, a little history...
Oct 15, 2003 - (See FutureWatch heading)
June 9, 2008 - Expect negative 'feedback' from FBI