[ALUG] Microsoft/Skype: You are trapped

[Andreas Tauscher]

Skype was since long time suspected to read all conversation when using
Skype Chat. By accepting the new terms and conditions all Skype-users
anyway granted this right to Microsoft (Microsoft acquired Skype in 2011
for 8.5 Billion US$).
Now it is proved they are doing it:
http://www.h-online.com/security/news/item/Skype-with-care-Microsoft-is-reading-everything-you-write-1862870.html

On phone calls it might be the same.
Already in 2009 Skype developed a technology named "Legal Intercept"
to record any Skype call.
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9218002/Microsoft_seeks_patent_for_spy_tech_for_Skype

[...]
A Microsoft spokesman said the company would not comment.
[...]

Any more questions? Using Skype is not safe.
Hidden functionality like this is target No.1 for hackers.
If officials can intercept any Skype call, it is only a question of time
criminals can do also.

Using properitary/closed source software is always a security risk. You
have to trust the supplier that there are no hidden interfaces in the
software, and bugs exploiting the software are fixed ASAP.
Additional any information about fixed/unfixed bugs has to be published.

If I compare only the number of bug reports for example released for the
Linux Kernel and the reports released per month for Windows (What is
somehow unfair. Linux is the Kernel only, the reports for the GNU Tools
and a GUI should be added) the picture for me is somehow clear:
Only Linux Kernel with its outstanding code quality (The Coverty report
for 2012 you can download after registering at
http://softwareintegrity.coverity.com/register-for-the-coverity-2012-scan-report.html)
is releasing more bug reports than Microsoft for a system including
Kernel, Toolkit and GUI.....

Andreas