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Ask HN: Is Skype safe to use?

13 points by thesmileyone ↗ HN
In the business I am in literally everyone wants to use Skype instead of PM's etc.

Is Skype currently safe? If not are there any good ideas to secure your work before connecting with someone on Skype?

Thanks!

11 comments

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squidlogic
Skype is not blocked in China. That alone should tell you a lot.
coreyp_1
1. Skype itself is a closed-source, proprietary computer program, and you have no way to know what it is actually doing at any point in time.

2. All communications, including audio, video, text, and file sharing, are passed through Skype's (Microsoft's?) servers, and is readable by them.

3. If it is readable by Skype (Microsoft?), then it is readable by any government agency with access to their servers, whether by court order or voluntary participation.

It's your call.

VOYD
You could say that for any internet based software, including web browser. Thanks for the FUD.
companyhen
I like Slack. No video chat unless there's a plugin I am not aware of.
dalke
"Is Skype currently safe?" Safe from what? The NSA recording your conversations? Microsoft selling marketing information? Your competitors doing a bit of corporate espionage? Accidentally recording calls to a YouTube channel?

That is, what is your threat model?

Some of my clients, at a big pharmaceutical company, use Skype for Business (nee Lync), so I know some businesses find the risks to be acceptable.

tolle
But probably using their own server, entirely within their own network? I.e. you can't even connect without a VPN?

Not that that protects from backdoors but still.

tech_crawl_
I've been using Zoom.us for video chat. Really like it.
huac
Calls over Skype expose your IP address. In the past it leaked even if you didn't pick up, don't know if it still does.
enginnr
Well one way to test is to put honey links into an IM session and see which ones are pinged. Invariably they will be pinged from a co-lo situated in a remote U.S data center.