Mar 17, 2013
When three know it, all know it: Secret Service studies Skype conversations
In Russian mass media there were reports saying that Security Service probably taps the Skype line. This service seems to be found by many users more secure to talk than a fixed or mobile communication.
In the Era of Internet, the phrase “it’s not a phone talk” could be converted into “that’s not a Skype talk”. The war between the world most popular voice messenger and French authorities started with French decision to add Skype to the category of the cellular companies. And as the ensuing consequences - the right of judges and law enforcement bodies to demand call recordings, users data and geo location information. But it’s referred to France only.
In Russia and other countries – to say nothing of Microsoft home – this kind of information is not a secret at all for Special Service.
“We can talk about the fact that the individuals conversations may be sent to the server using special account. But general eavesdropping is impossible. Skype has 600 million users”, - said Maxim Emm, Executive Director of Peak Systems.
At the dawn of Skype popularity, when it was the property of the Estonian developers, the confidentiality of calls remained on the conscience either of the Internet service providers (traffic passed through them) or Special Services (in case of encrypted traffic). However, when messenger was purchased by Microsoft, a small but serious bug was acquired simultaneously. Encryption keys are generated now not on the user's computer but the server.
“Skype has changed the license agreement. Before you agree to use the Skepe service, and open the account, it says that Skype has the right to store your data on the server up to 30 days. That also indirectly can mean that the data can be accessed», - says Maxim Emm, Executive Director of Peak Systems.
Patent Application on the technology of the legal interception of the conversations was filled by Microsoft in 2009. And a disposal of the decryption keys should be kept only by State from time immemorial.
Maxim Emm says: “The Law says that you may provide an eavesdropping only by court decision. And if you don’t have it from the court – it is supposed to be found as an infraction of the law.”
It's a legal requirement to any program and an attempt of the French to put Skype under the mobile communication laws rather says about the Personnel hunger in the local police than stirs up prejudice against Russian IP telephony reliability.
Source: vesti.ru