Today, the Department of Physics at Cambridge issued a memo to all staff and students, blocking the use of Skype on the University data network (CUDN). Users were alerted to recent security compromises and back-door intrusion attempts on machines running Skype.
Read more:-:
connect.educause.edu/blog/cather … cerns/1400
I’d look into it a bit further then decide if you still want to use it. Or wait to see if they can plug the holes and still have it work.
These have apparently been fixed in the latest patch. I’ve been using it a lot recently and have not experienced any problems. Sounds like scare-mongering to me.
The latest release was 10/10/05 v1.4.0.78 this information was released on the 18/10/05
Virus writers are targeting Skype users with a new Trojan that poses as the latest version of the popular VoIP software.
Net security firm MessageLabs has detected and blocked more than 800 copies of a new variant of the MyTob (AKA Fanbot) Trojan, which is being distributed by email. References and nicknames contained in the code lead MessageLabs to conclude that the malware was probably created by a well known Chinese black hat hacker and not the original author of the malware strain.
Maksym Schipka, a senior antivirus researcher at MessageLabs, said the malware is the first he’s aware of that mentions Skype and as such represents a new theme for social engineering attacks.
The malware arrives in an attachment in messages posing as the latest (v1.4) release of Skype. Legitimate downloads of the software only came out last week, so the attack is timely. If users open the infected payload on a vulnerable Windows machine they will find their PCs transformed into zombie clients (theoretically at least) under the control of computer hackers.
Right, so there’s nothing wrong with the programme at all, just don’t open an attachment pretending to be from Skype which anyone with any sense wouldn’t do anyway. 
Yes there is something wrong.
Skype’s underlying P2P technology: essentially, the connection sharing permitted by Skype, makes the host computer available for the world at large to use for relaying purposes. Skype requires the granting of third-party access. Section 4.1 of Skype’s End User License Agreement (EULA) states:
“Permission to utilize Your computer. In order to receive the benefits provided by the Skype Software, you hereby grant permission for the Skype Software to utilize the processor and bandwidth of your computer for the limited purpose of facilitating the communication between You and other Skype Software users.”
Which means there are vulnerabilities, i.e. backdoor access, in the software that people may not be aware of. There is quite a concerted effort at the moment by some virus writers and these backdoors are being targeted and probed. MessageLabs thought it important enough to release a statement about it.
I am trying to let anyone on these forums know about it so they can look into it for themselves and maybe stop them getting caught out.
The last thing anyone wants is for their backdoors getting probed……. 
hollywood:
The last thing anyone wants is for their backdoors getting probed…….
Agreed!! 
So, could we rely on Zone Alarm Pro, AVG Pro and the rest to pick-up an intrusion of this kind??
Firewall settings may have to be altered to block nasties coming through Skype. But the new release should fix any problems now.
For a bit more info try The Reg
Just tonight, when I booted-up, Skype (or at least I think it was! ) offered me the updated version; I cancelled it but should I have taken it??
It was probably OK to accept it but better safe than sorry.Get the latest information and downloads from Skype
I downloaded that but now it pops up to invite me to download again each time I log on. Had the same problem with ZoneAlarm a while back but can’t remember how I resolved that. Anybody know?
Salut, David.