Simson Garfinkel analyses Skype - Open Society Institute

[Ian G]

Voice Over Internet Protocol and Skype Security
Simson L. Garfinkel
January 7, 2005

With the increased deployment of high-speed ("broadband") Internet 
connectivity, a growing number of businesses and individuals are using 
the Internet for voice telephony, a technique known as Voice over 
Internet Protocol (VoIP). With a VoIP system, two people can speak with 
each other by using headsets and microphones connected directly to their 
computers.


Skype is a proprietary VoIP system developed by Skype Technologies S.A. 
Like the popular KaZaA file-trading system, Skype is based on 
peer-to-peer technology: instead of transmitting all voice calls through 
a central server, as some VoIP services do (Vonage, for example), Skype 
clients seek out and find other Skype clients, then build from these 
connections a network that can be used to search for other users and 
send them messages.


Is Skype secure? How does its security compare with that of conventional 
telephone calls, or of other VoIP-based systems? In this article 
commissioned by OSI's Information Program, Simson Garfinkel, an expert 
on Internet security and networking issues, looks at the security 
properties of key importance for civil society organizations relying on 
Skype for voice communications.

http://www.soros.org/initiatives/information/articles_publications/articles/security_20050107/OSI_Skype5.pdf

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