Does Microsoft spy on Skype conversations?

Question

Is there any chance that they are breaking the law? US gvt require every isp and providers to intercept comms for gvt intelligence.

http://securityaffairs.co/wordpress/7827/intelligence/governments-are-increasing-cyber-security-on-social-media.html

Answer 1

McD, does Google spy on our emails and chats? does FB do the same?
I guess its a simple matter of trust and value, do you think you could be a threat to the security of the great but stupid nation of America? If so, please give me a call so i can inform my the CIO/FBI/etc! Hahaha, but i think to some extent wev are safe!

Comments

Im not sure about gmail but facebook do actually monitor and act in cahoots witg NSA for national security reasons.

Im just interested how Microsoft is navigating along the censure laws required by US gvt.

Answer 2

From the horse's mouth
http://blogs.skype.com/2012/07/26/what-does-skypes-architecture-do/#fbid=1bFs37IL8AA

Answer 3

to summarize, theres multiple questions here

can skype/microsoft spy/record your voice conversations - only if you are having multi way conversations and your bandwidth is too low to support the multiple streams/connections (so it multiplexes them via a skype server to provide a single connection for the slow user) - if its a direct 1 person to 1 person call, then no they cant as they are nowhere in the chain once the call is connected (they can theoretically listen if the call goes via PSTN/a physical landline/cell)

can skype record your chat data - its not totally clear but it seems so as this is how they handle offline message passing

do they spy/listen in - so far this is a clear no they don't. in most cases they cant anyway but they make it very clear there policy is not about listening in, but improving experience

FYI - i'm mostly paraphrasing the skype blog post mentioned by anonymous: http://blogs.skype.com/2012/07/26/what-does-skypes-architecture-do/#fbid=1bFs37IL8AA plus a few other sources/posts relating to skype

Answer 4

Bt that was before they were bought by MS Anthony. Are you saying microsoft is openly violating US gvt laws which clearly requires for legal interception of comms should it be required by law enforcement agents?

Comments

its a difficult question to get a clear answer on, theres a couple of possibilities: the skype arm of the business is not trading out of USA which effectively eliminates there requirement to abide by those laws

FYI i get billed by skype out of luxembourg not the US, its likely they left the legal entity in europe so they can get around this

they are operating the biz under US jurisdiction - but cant monitor the majority of calls anyway so dont bother with the rest on the premise that they cant monitor everything anyway

tbh you could say the same thing about a few companies in zim where a similar law is in place iirc though

Answer 5

It's possible. It's said in China, clients of Skype for Business are expected to install a modified version which monitors all text messages and voice calls, even from outside China. So sharing sensitive topics, IP security, and technical documentation with local clients in China represents a real threat to companies who may find their important communications ending up in competitors' hands.

The government is watching you, no matter who you are and where you live.

https://www.eztalks.com/video-conference/skype-for-business-alternative.html