shamrin
join:2001-01-08
Lexington, KY
clubs: 
 ·Insight Communicat..
| reply to Fatal Vector
Re: Hmmmm
said by Fatal Vector  :"If you're worried about Skype, maybe it would be better not to turn your computer on at all." What you seem to fail to understand is that this behavior on the part of skype is malware/exploit like. It would probably be no great trick to modify the client to plant malware on your computer right through your filewall. And dont think malware authors and scum wont try now that they have been given the idea. Look, I have a program from PC Magazine called "shred", it deletes files on my computer so that they are unrecoverable. Now, one could say that this deleting behaviour is exactly the same thing that a virus would do, that doesn't make shred a virus or malware in any way. Analogies are always dangerous but the point here is that Skype is doing exactly what the user wants it to do, it gets around problems that would cause it not to work properly.
I'm as paranoid as anyone (more than most to the continuing embarrassment of my wife whenever we go to dinner parties) and as such I have learned that it's important to direct your paranoia properly with a degree of logic. Saying that Skype exhibits behaviour similar to what malware might do therefore it is malware or "scary scary scary" is just fallacious. Now, let's talk about Microsoft's "Background Intelligent Transfer Service" there's something to be worried about! 
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I have no opinion, therefore I do not exist |
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peter_m
Premium
join:2005-07-13
Canada, QC
1 edit | reply to Fatal Vector
I disagree
said by Fatal Vector :What you seem to fail to understand is that this behavior on the part of skype is malware/exploit like. It would probably be no great trick to modify the client to plant malware on your computer right through your filewall. OK... But just because Skype is the first one to openly talk about it does not mean they are the first ones to do it... If Skype never even worked on the concept, it would only be a mater of time till someone else figured it out and exploited it. Who does it first is irrelevant.
The inability to prevent or detect such firewall circumvention is the problem. Don't blame cyber criminals for having a criminal mind. Focus on the real problem, the security holes we allow our selves to live with. |
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Fatal Vector
join:2005-11-26
| reply to shamrin
Re: Hmmmm
"If you're worried about Skype, maybe it would be better not to turn your computer on at all."
What you seem to fail to understand is that this behavior on the part of skype is malware/exploit like. It would probably be no great trick to modify the client to plant malware on your computer right through your filewall.
And dont think malware authors and scum wont try now that they have been given the idea. |
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