Skype Blog

So, I'd love to help but... there's nothing to show after initial work in 2011. And I found no plans to provide any updates. Besides, this reverse engineering work should be simpler now that Skype was bought by Microsoft. For example, Microsoft no longer encrypts/destroys the executable's import table. And it seems they dumped the anti-debugger code too. Let's also not forget Microsoft is pushing out new variants that should lend themselves to reverse engineering (e.g. web/plugin-free [0] and Universal Windows Platform [1] apps). --- [0] https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA12316/what-is-the-skype-web-plugin-… [1] http://blogs.skype.com/2016/03/24/skype-universal-windows-platform-app…

It does, according to the replies here by Skype http://blogs.skype.com/2014/04/28/skype-loves-bringing-groups-together…

Here is the screenshot of the blog hacked. http://imgur.com/RGeTFWV So it looks like Skype doesn't host on its own server. It looks like this is wordpress.com but with custom domain? curl http://blogs.skype.com -v < X-hacker: If you're reading this, you should visit automattic.com/jobs and apply to join the fun, mention this header. EDIT Okay it is New to wpscan. When it says plugins found are these the vulnerable plugins wordpress.com running? https://gist.github.com/yeukhon/8211580 And I found the username 7 pretty interesting.... wonder if I am actually doing the ethical thing here :(

It has nothing to do with Microsoft and Linux boxes. They host headless Skype version for p2p network reliability: http://blogs.skype.com/2012/07/26/what-does-skypes-architecture-do-2/ Your story is all about China. Skype for China is "special": https://en.greatfire.org/blog/2012/dec/china-listening-skype-microsoft…

Ooh! Ooh! Does it have the new Conversation Ads feature? http://blogs.skype.com/en/2012/06/skype_advertising_update.html I, for one, cannot WAIT to see these new ads, which Microsoft describes as "content that could spark additional topics of conversation that are relevant to Skype users." Isn't that great? Ads are now "content." And the motivation isn't to make a bundle of money on ads, it's to "spark conversations." Add this to the craptastical user interface and built-in backdoor eavesdropping, and it's plain to see that Skype has a bright future ahead! http://memeburn.com/2011/07/microsoft-and-skype-set-to-allow-backdoor-…

Here is a blog entry from Skype: http://blogs.skype.com/en/2010/10/android.html On the bottom you can find the following disclaimers: * Skype is not available in the Android Market in China or Japan. * Skype has been tested on HTC and Motorola devices with Android OS 2.1 and above. It may work on other Android phones, but we can’t guarantee full functionality or compatibility. * We’re aware of some problems with the Samsung Galaxy S, and we’re looking to address these in the future. * It’s free to use Skype in a WiFi zone. If you use Skype with a mobile data connection, operator charges may apply, so we recommend an unlimited data plan. * In the US, you can make calls only over WiFi. * A fair use policy applies to unlimited subscriptions.

A more recent skype feature worth an upgrade is group video calling: http://blogs.skype.com/en/2010/05/group_video_calling.html

A perfect lesson on how to write "denials" that are accurate but aren't what most of the public can understand: http://blogs.skype.com/2012/07/26/what-does-skypes-architecture-do/ "It has been suggested that as a result of recent architecture changes Skype now monitors and records audio and video calls of our users. False. The move to in-house hosting of “supernodes” does not provide for monitoring or recording of calls. .." There are more paragraphs that follow, but they can honestly say they didn't lie, since obviously they had the functionality to monitor and record the calls even before they introduced the supernodes so it is false that they introduced the supernodes for that, but it is not false that the Skype conversations can and are monitored by authorities. Note that it's by law the job of FBI to do such monitoring, when it's about US citizens, and it's NSA's job for non-US citizens. Microsoft is definitely not breaking any laws. So when they say that it's all lawful what they do it's also true.

If you want to get a sense of how bad thing at Skype have gotten, check out this thread on their site. http://blogs.skype.com/en/2011/01/mac.html It's their "big announcement", and it's followed by the longest, and most vitriolic stream of comments from people who are appalled by the terrible design. It's the only thing 9/10 comments even mention. The amazing thing is that near the bottom, their "Blogger in Chief" Peter Parks provides a point-by-point reply to each of the comments that didn't mention the UI (there are a handful), while completely ignoring the issue receiving all the attention. He actually gets called out on this, only to come back with half-baked line about "your thoughts about the new UI are very valuable to the Mac team here." Which, of course, is total bullshit. They're the exact same comments the Mac team received by the boatload and promptly ignored during the beta.

Office 2019 for Mac requires Mac OS X 10.12 Sierra or later. Maybe it's a business reason but at the same time their skype requires 10.10. Update Skype for web 10.12 [0] https://blogs.skype.com/news/2019/03/07/the-new-skype-for-web-is-here/

Skype as we know it is dead anyway. Just look at the trailers at the bottom of this blog post: https://blogs.skype.com/news/2017/06/01/introducing-the-next-generatio… Just four years ago, everyone I knew was running Skype on their computers with various group chats (agencies, remote teams..). Now it's a very confused Slack clone. I'd say it needs to die in a fire, but I still like having SkypeOut around for the occasional communication edge case. I wouldn't be surprised to see Microsoft drop that feature, though.

>> apparently I won't be able to call landlines anymore with it That's not so apparent... over here[1] one can read about "Calling updates: Calls to mobiles and landlines with Skype credit" in the Linux Beta version 5 release on March 1st. [1] https://blogs.skype.com/news/2017/03/01/the-skype-for-linux-beta-versi…

Linux is getting a new Skype version: https://blogs.skype.com/2016/07/13/skype-for-linux-alpha-and-calling-o…

After purchase, Microsoft changed the architecture from peer-to-peer to client-server, which incurs extra latency obviously. https://blogs.skype.com/2013/10/04/skype-architecture-update/ http://arstechnica.com/business/2012/05/skype-replaces-p2p-supernodes-…

On Linux you have the choice between "never changed, clunkier than ever" and "OMG, this is completely different" (https://blogs.skype.com/2016/07/13/skype-for-linux-alpha-and-calling-o…

I'm pretty certain that Microsoft already (mostly) made this backward-incompatible move several years ago, when they shut down the last of their (old Skype protocol)<->(MSNP24) gateways in 2014, so any Skype clients that predate the MSNP24 support being added to Skype no longer work. The thing they're doing now is probably either breaking Skypeweb backward compat or a rev on MSNP, depending on which mechanism the embedded clients use. Quickly reading the actual blog post that the Ars article is about [1] (which I couldn't find an obvious link to in the article) makes me think it's probably Skypeweb they're breaking. [1] - http://blogs.skype.com/2016/07/20/skype-the-journey-weve-been-on/

The move from P2P to a client-server model, is a sensible change, considering the fight to stay relevant on mobile devices, for instance considering the impact that Skype used to have on battery consumption. http://markmail.org/message/exc3srjkx3uu66bz http://blogs.skype.com/2013/10/04/skype-architecture-update/

Skype stopped leaking your IP address earlier this year. It existed before that, but is now the default behavior. http://blogs.skype.com/2016/01/21/to-our-gamers-ip-will-now-be-hidden-…

I thought they used to only sync chat logs when multiple devices were online, until they switched from a P2P to a cloud-based model. http://blogs.skype.com/2013/10/04/skype-architecture-update/ http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/skype-enables-synchronization-of-chat-mes…

Apparently it's only temporary, they're about to launch a new version: "We have removed the Skype for iPhone app from the Apple iTunes store in some markets, as we begin rolling out the latest version. Skype 5.0 for iPhone will soon be available worldwide for download" http://blogs.skype.com/2014/06/09/skype-5-0-remastered-for-iphone/

There is also a second post from the same - apparently compromised - author: http://blogs.skype.com/2014/01/01/dont-use-microsoft-emails-hotmailout…

You're right. It was probably a brute force since they don't have maximum login attempts. http://blogs.skype.com/wp-admin

They addressed it in 2008, http://blogs.skype.com/en/2008/10/skype_president_addresses_chin.html claiming "after we urgently addressed this situation with TOM, they fixed the security breach". But the problem is still there in 2011 noted in the post.

>"Skype." Microsoft owns it. They could build a worldwide phone network on top of it. They even have a hardware partner with deep penetration in the developing world. And they're shipping: http://blogs.skype.com/en/2012/04/skype_for_windows_phone_has_ar.html

Whenever I can, I use Skype to call customer support 800 numbers for free and do other things on the PC while waiting... http://blogs.skype.com/en/2005/07/free_calls_to_tollfree_phone_n.html

While I'm not sure if it counts as "riddled with ads," Skype is certainly moving in the direction of ads: http://blogs.skype.com/en/2011/03/advertising.html

Skype claim to have already fixed the bug with their release last month on April 14th: http://blogs.skype.com/security/2011/05/security_vulnerability_in_mac.… Sadly the fix seems to be only for the 5.x series and there's no indication for holdouts like myself on whether 2.x is affected or not.

Not sure you were asking seriously, but yes, since July of last year. http://blogs.skype.com/en/2010/07/iphone_multitasking_3g.html

Looks like it has been addressed: http://blogs.skype.com/security/2011/05/security_vulnerability_in_mac.… I submitted here as well: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2522808