Throw Skype overboard...

[gorski]

Skype?

As soon it came out my friends and I tested it and came to the conclusion it's full of spyware, it keeps opening up many a port leaving you very vulnerable, it keeps sending your private details to others - if you put a stop to it, Skype stops functioning...

If you want to phone a ladline or a mobile from your PC it's cheaper and safer to do it, for instance, via VoIP Discount. All of those programs are free to use PC2PC, of course.

So, throw it away immediately...

Expensive and insecure, as it always is the case when overflowing with spyware...

Instead of it use VoIP Discount or a similar programme! Cheaper, simpler, no spyware. Video stuff is OK via MSN Live...

More on all of those aspects of Skype here:

h**p://blackhatnetworks.net/presentations/bh-europe-06/bh-eu-06-biondi/bh-eu-06-biondi-up.pdf

Here's an excerpt:

Skype is a free (as in beer) voice over IP application. Many other VOIP applications exist, but some specific points make Skype very different, such as its peer-to-peer architecture, its ease to bypass firewalls and, last but not least, the impressive level of obfuscation that has been invested to prevent anybody from looking inside the software and its communications. This last point added to its increasing success gave birth to many myths on security issues around it.

This presentation will uncover some Skype secrets, hidden behind many levels of obfuscation, showing how bad security by obscurity can be. It will also describe many technics and tools used to go through obfuscation layers and speak Skype.
Can we snoop on your Skype communications? Can we decipher them from a dead capture? Can we impersonate you? Can we get information from your local network if you use Skype? Can we take control of your machine if you use Skype? To what extent the use of Skype can put your data and organisation at risk? Here are some of the questions that will be answered.

Much more on many a similar topic here:

h**p://blackhatnetworks.net/html/bh-media-archives/bh-archives-2006.html#eu-06

See at the bottom for Good and bad points - sobbing is optional...

An alternative:

h**p://www.voipdiscount.com/en/index.html

- apparently NO spywarea, cheaper, good quality.

Cheers!

 

[renee]

I never liked Skype, I used Voipbuster, because I could use my telephone
and dont need earphones/Microphone.
Its very good, by accident I have
two accounts, they do not permit me to cancel one nor do they let me pay in more money into one account, it is impossible to contact them, no response,
their service is the worst that I have ever experienced

I'll check out Voip Discount :thum: