Suspected terrorists using Skype to hide steganographic secret code in Voip phone calls.

Skype can be a perfect one time pad... There is no denial about this.

In relation to all this chatter on hidden message in VoIP system, also wonder and realize that the every Skype ID can be logged onto twice or more without the user ever knowing. I have called this the dual login without  notification. This is the easy way for x,y,z to look at your chats and your contact-list. Better change your password on regular basis...

Skype should add a simple authentication routine before an account can be activated for usage. Could be something like an activation number send to a cellphone if the account is linked to for sending out sms and if it is a simple skype account (wihtout callercredit) an activation or de-activationstring via email is to be send to before the account is active. At least some external authentication, would make it less easy for culprits to abuse the system.

Personally the only thing hidden in skype for most users are the hidden emoticons. The folks at skype stopped making those too it seems. A pitty because it was like the only fun part that I looked forward to in every new release... I am sure I am not the only one

Now read thiS : "In particular the researchers have developed two new techniques that exploit the fact that VoIP systems tolerate packet loss and have built-in redundancy. One approach exploits unused fields in the RTCP (Real-Time Control Protocol) and RTP (Real-Time Transport Protocol) protocols to transmit hidden messages. Another technique used delayed audio packets to hide covert communications. Mazurczyk and Szczypiorski's paper also goes through many other possible techniques for VoIP steganography. In an experiment the researchers were able to covertly transmit more than 1.3 Mbits of data in one direction during a VoIP call lasting nine minutes, the average time for such calls. Mazurczyk and Szczypiorski found that protocol steganography was by far the quickest way to transmit covert messages.

Law enforcement officials have expressed frustration about the difficulty of deciphering VoIP messages made by suspected terrorists using Skype. Leaked documents suggest German cops have commissioned the development of software to intercept Skype VoIP communications and SSL transmissions." source.

Download Mazurczyk and Szczypiorski's paper on Steganography of VoIP Streams in (pdf).

Did you find the "hidden message" in this article ?

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