skype

Skype (IPA pronunciation: /skʌɪp/, rhymes with type) is a proprietary peer-to-peer Internet telephony network founded by the entrepreneurs Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis, also founders of the file sharing application Kazaa. It competes against existing open VoIP protocols such as SIP, IAX, and H.323. The Skype Group, acquired by eBay in October 2005, is headquartered in Luxembourg, with offices in London, Tallinn and Prague^[1].

Skype has experienced rapid growth in both popular usage and software development since launch, both of its free and its paid services. The Skype communications system is notable for its broad range of features, including free voice and video conferencing, and its ability to use peer to peer (decentralized) technology to overcome common firewall and NAT (Network address translation) problems.

System and software

Technology

The main difference between Skype and VoIP clients is that Skype operates on a peer-to-peer model, rather than the more traditional server-client model. The Skype user directory is entirely decentralised and distributed among the nodes in the network, which means the network can scale very easily to large sizes (currently over 100 million users) without a complex and costly centralised infrastructure.

Skype also routes calls through other Skype peers on the network to ease the traversal of Symmetric NATs and firewalls. This, however, puts an extra burden on those who connect to the Internet without NAT, as their computers and network bandwidth may be used to route the calls of other users.

The Skype client's application programming interface (API) opens the network to software developers. The Skype API allows other programs to use the Skype network to get "white pages" information and manage calls.

The Skype code is closed source, and the protocol is not standardized. The Windows user interface was developed in Pascal using Delphi, the Linux version is written in C++ with Qt, and the Mac OS X version is written in Objective-C with Cocoa.^[2] Parts of the client use Internet Direct (Indy), an open source socket communication library.

Security

Critics point out that secure communication is now a feature:

• Skype reportedly uses openly available, strong encryption algorithms.^[3]
• The user is not involved in the encryption process and therefore does not have to deal with the issues of Public key infrastructure.

General

The Skype code is proprietary and closed source, and it is not planned to become open-source software, according to a quotation:

"We could do it but only if we re-engineered the way it works and we don't have the time right now."

—Niklas Zennstrom, co-founder of Skype, responding to the Skype security model^[4]

The book from Que Publishing, Skype: The Definitive Guide^[5] points out partly:

• Skype can utilise other users' bandwidth. (Although this is allowed for in the EULA, there is no way to tell how much bandwidth is being used in this manner). There are some 20,000 supernodes out of many millions of users logged on. Skype Guide for network administrators [3] claims that supernodes carry only control traffic up to 5 kbytes/s and relays may carry other user data traffic up to 10 kbytes/s (for one video call). A relay should not normally handle more than one "relayed connection".
• Skype's file-transfer function does not contain any programmatic interfaces to antivirus products, although Skype claims to have tested its product against antivirus "Shield" products.
• The lack of clarity as to content means that firewalls and systems administrators cannot be sure what Skype is doing. (The combination of an invited and a reverse-engineered study taken together suggest Skype is not doing anything hostile.) Firewall rules for Ip tables were given to block Skype for corporates.
• The actual communication of any given Skype conversation is reported to appear relatively secure; both cryptographic analyses concluded that Skype had made good use of modern encryption techniques and had coded the actual encryption algorithms correctly within the software.

Resource usage

Skype accesses the hard disk several times per minute. This can be verified by observing the HDD's activity LED, or by using a file access monitor such as FileMon.^[6] With regard to internet bandwidth, certain users are selected by software to act as "supernodes". Under certain conditions, Skype is reportedly willing to accept thousands of connections, but is stated to limit itself to 40Kb/s upload and download.^[7][8][9]

Confidentiality of data

Skype claims that the proprietary session establishment protocol is efficient and prevents both man-in-the-middle and replay attacks. The software is not self-certifying which means it needs to connect and login to a centralized Skype server to certify each user's public key.

Skype currently permits multiple concurrent logins: if an attacker is able to obtain a user's login password, the attacker could login as that user, and change their status to "Hidden". Thereafter, any chat sessions involving the real user are possibly copied to the hacker's "ghost" account. Provided a user keeps his/her password secure, this is not of concern.

Authenticity of user identity

Skype provides an uncontrolled registration system for users: registration requires no proof (in means of state-issued ID card) of the identity of the user. This works two ways: you can use the system safely without revealing your real-life identity to other users of the system, but on the other hand you have no guarantees that the person you communicate with is the one they say they are in real life. The downside of this is that it is easy to use the personal name (but not identity) of a trusted person as a Skype nickname and trick a naive user into revealing information or executing a program sent to them.

It should be noted that this behavior is common to all digitally provided services: the exception is certificates from trusted certificate authorities with all the known drawbacks

Major events

For detailed changelog see Skype changelog.

Versions now exist for Microsoft Windows (2000, XP and CE (Pocket PC)), Mac OS X and GNU/Linux. The Linux version runs on FreeBSD through its Linux binary compatibility; the Fedora Core version works fine, provided the user switches on the microphone in the GNOME sound settings. Symbian version is currently under development. ^[15]

Usage and traffic

It was reported that eight million concurrent Skype users were online as of November 8, 2006.^[16] Gender information is inconclusive so far. More than half of all users declined to state their sex.^{citation needed]}

Although the volume of international traffic routed via Skype is significant, the quantity is still small when compared to a global switched and VoIP traffic base of 264 billion minutes. Computer-to-computer traffic between Skype users in 2005 was equivalent to 2.9% of international carrier traffic in 2005 and approximately 4.4% of total international traffic in 2006^[18].

Skype incorporates some features which obfuscate its traffic, but it is not specifically designed to thwart traffic analysis and therefore does not provide anonymous communication. Some researchers have also been able to watermark the traffic so that it is identifiable even after passing it through an anonymizing network [4].

Features

SkypeOut

SkypeOut allows Skype users to call traditional telephone numbers, including mobile telephones, for a fee. This fee is as low as USD$0.024 per minute for most developed countries, and as high as USD$2.142 per minute for calls to the dependency of Diego Garcia. Beginning January 2007, Skype also charges an equivalent of 0.039 Euro for each SkypeOut call, in addition to the ordinary rate. ^[19] After 180 days of not making a SkypeOut call the Skype balance expires. This policy makes Skypeout a poor service for infrequent users as they will often lose their entire account balance.

Until December 31 2006, SkypeOut calls originating within the United States and Canada to destinations within the United States and Canada were free of charge. The standard SkypeOut rate will be charged starting in 2007 ^[20], although an unlimited usage plan for North American calls is available. ^[21]

SkypeOut calls to toll free numbers in France (+33 800, +33 805, +33 809) , Poland: (+48 800) , UK: (+44 500, +44 800, +44 808 ) and the United States and Canada: (+1 800, +1 866, +1 877, +1 888 ) are free for all Skype users, even if they do not have the SkypeOut service. [5]. SkypeOut calls to toll-free numbers in Belgium (+32 800) do not work.

Quality of service is not guaranteed and dropouts, broken connections and compression distortion are frequently observed by users.

Unlimited Calling Plan and Fees

On 19 December 2006, Skype announced that there will be a new pricing structure in 2007. Details on a new scheme are scheduled to be released 18 January 2007. The press release is vague about the new scheme, but it does reveal that there may be a new connection fee.[6]

In January 2007 Skype launched a prepaid unlimited call service for North American customers. Skype's unlimited calling offers a full year of unlimited calls to anyone, on any phone, within the US and Canada for a one-time fee.

SkypeIn

SkypeIn allows Skype users to receive calls on their computers dialed by regular phone subscribers to regular phone numbers. Permits users to subscribe to numbers in Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and the United States.

For example, a user in San Francisco could create a local telephone number in Helsinki. Callers from Helsinki would pay only local rates to call that number.

Skype voicemail

Skype Voicemail was released on March 10, 2005. This service allows callers to leave voice-mail messages for Skype users who are indisposed. This is currently a service that users have to pay for, however the company Kishkish[7] provide a Skype voicemail service for free.

Skype Voicemail has experienced numerous problems over the past year and users complain that many voice mail calls are never received. Additionally, the SkypeIn service occasionally fails to record certain incoming calls on the program's history page. These problems have not been completely resolved.

Skype chat

Skype supports group text chat with an interface similar to IRC with 100 People.

The Macintosh version uses the same message view style format as Adium, though with a different filename extension. Message view styles made for Adium can be installed for Skype, and they do not even need to be renamed.^[22] There are a couple of cosmetic bugs,^[23] but ignoring those, Adium styles work without modification. This feature is not present in the Windows, Linux, and Pocket PC versions of Skype.

Skype video calling

On Windows XP (Windows 2000 users require DirectX 9.0 for video calls) and Mac, Skype 2.0 (and above) supports videoconferencing, making Skype one of the few cross-platform video conferencing solutions between Windows and Mac. Skype only supports one-to-one video chat. More than two parties are allowed to talk, but 3 or more video feature is not supported.

A "High Definition" (beta) video mode is possible by editing the config.xml file. This transmits a 640x480 image and higher frame rate on networks and computers able to handle the increased load. [8]

Skypecasts

Skypecasts was released on May 3, 2006. Skypecasts are live, moderated conversations allowing groups of up to 100 people to converse, moderated by the "host" who is able to mute, eject or pass the virtual microphone to participants when they wish to speak. Skypecasts do not support chat windows to share text information (such as URLs) with participants.

Skype SMS

One of the features of Skype 2.5 (and above) is the ability to send SMS messages to mobile phone numbers (a feature commonly used in other IM software such as ICQ, AOL Instant Messenger, Yahoo Messenger and Windows Live Messenger). By default the message will be received with the sender's Skype username shown with no direct reply possible, otherwise it can be set to appear to have originated from a verified mobile number, allowing the recipient to reply as normal to that number. Costs are generally cheaper than standard SMS charges; for example Skype's UK rate per SMS message including VAT is 6.4p, compared to standard rates of 10p or 12p; for international SMS costs will be significantly cheaper using Skype.

Skype web toolbar

The Skype Web Toolbar recognizes phone numbers and Skype, and is currently only available for Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox on Windows. Such numbers on web pages are replaced with an icon that can be clicked to call the number using Skype, or right-clicked to provide further options such as adding the number to Skype's contacts list. Skype requests confirmation that an outgoing call should proceed after clicking such a link.

Skype Zones

Skype Zones Beta is software powered by Boingo that provides access to Skype through Skype-friendly hot spots.

Skype history logs

A log file is created for each contact on a user's contact list. Log files are stored locally, meaning they are not available if a user switches computers. By default, the option to log conversations is disabled, but can be enabled in the tools / privacy panel.

Skype hardware

Recently a number of manufactures have launched hardware devices compatible with Skype. These are usually either tethered to a PC, or have a built-in Wi-Fi client to allow calling from Wi-Fi hotspots like the Netgear SPH101 Skype Wi-Fi Phone.

Additional tools

Skype Beta version 3.0 provides additional tools under "Do More" Submenu. Tools added include the 'Pamela Voice' recorder for recording voice calls, Unyte desktop sharing, plus many games.

Criticisms

Skype has been criticised over its use of a proprietary protocol, instead of an open standard like H.323, IAX, or SIP, since this makes it much more difficult, if not impossible, for other developers to interact with Skype. Some have theorized that the decision was made to prevent competition over business with SkypeOut.

Due to the design of the protocol, if given access to an unrestricted network connection, Skype clients can become supernodes. These supernodes hold together the peer-to-peer network and provide data routing for other clients behind more restrictive firewalls, which can generate a significant amount of bandwidth usage. For this reason, some network providers, such as universities, have banned the use of Skype.^[24]

A third party paper analyzing the security and methodology of Skype was presented at Black Hat Europe 2006.^[25] It analyzed Skype and made these observations:

• Heavy use of anti debugging techniques (used to deter development of alternative clients, hacking tools)
• Significant use of obfuscated code (slows reverse engineering, less description of what program code does internal to the executable file)
• Keeps chatting on the network, even when idle (even for non-supernodes. may be used for NAT traversal)
• Blind trust in anything else speaking Skype
• Ability to build a parallel Skype network
• Lack of privacy (Skype has the keys to decrypt sessions)
• Heap overflow in Skype
• Skype makes it hard to enforce a (corporate) security policy
• "No way to know if there is/will be a backdoor"

SkypeOut rates are "per minute" based, contrary to the trend in charges for calls from conventional telephones. In some countries, many calls are charged at a specified fixed amount per call. In this method, SkypeOut is more expensive for longer calls, whereas it is cheaper for relatively short calls.

Another criticism of Skype has been content filtering. See: Internet censorship in the People's Republic of China.

While available for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux operating systems, there is no Skype version for the Palm OS, used in mobile devices like the Treo 700p smartphone.

Skype has been criticized in the Linux community for bugs and delays in the Linux version [9]. The Mac OS X version is also not as advanced as the Windows version, something that the Mac community is angry at Skype about.^{citation needed]}

There have also been criticisms of Skype blocking and disabling customer accounts from using the SkypeOut service [10].

Also, when using SkypeOut to call toll-free numbers, users may experience call degradation when using the keypad to enter numerals into automated systems.

Legal and political aspects

Skype faces challenges from two main legal and political directions - challenges to its intellectual property, and political concerns by governments who wish to exert more formal control over aspects of their telecommunications systems.

Skype's technology is proprietary and closed to outside review. It is unknown to what extent it can potentially intrude upon other parties' patents and copyrights. It is not unreasonable, therefore, to expect legal challenges from third parties concerning Intellectual Property issues.

Skype also supply Skype-in phonelines without requiring proof of address, which is illegal in some countries.

Legal challenges

Streamcast lawsuit

In January, 2006, StreamCast Networks filed a complaint in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, accusing Skype of stealing its peer-to-peer technology. The $4.1 billion lawsuit did not initially name eBay, Skype's parent company; however, the lawsuit was amended in a filing with Federal Court in the Central District of California on May 22, 2006, to include eBay and 21 other parties as defendants.

Streamcast seeks a worldwide injunction on the sale and marketing of eBay's Skype Internet voice communication products, as well as billions of dollars in unspecified damages.

IDT lawsuit

On June 1, 2006, Net2Phone (the Internet telephone unit of IDT Corp.) filed a lawsuit against eBay and Skype accusing the unit of infringing U.S. Patent 6,108,704 , which was granted in 2000.^[26]

Political issues

China 2005

For a brief period, SkypeOut was blocked in some regions of mainland China (notably Shenzhen) by the operator China Telecom for undisclosed reasons; it has been speculated that this may relate to SkypeOut's ability to take lucrative international and long-distance business away from the People's Republic of China's state-controlled telecommunications companies.^{citation needed]}

Skype is one of many companies (others include AOL, Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Cisco) which have cooperated with the Chinese government in implementing a system of Internet censorship in mainland China. Critics of such policies argue that it is wrong for companies to assist in such policies, which might allow them to profit from censorship and restrictions on freedom of the press and freedom of speech. Human rights advocates such as Human Rights Watch and media groups such as Reporters Without Borders state that in their view, if companies stopped contributing to the authorities' censorship efforts the government could be forced to change.^[27]

Niklas Zennstrom, chief executive to Skype, told reporters that its joint venture partner in China is operating in compliance with domestic law. "Tom Online had implemented a text filter, which is what everyone else in that market is doing," said Mr Zennstrom. "Those are the regulations," he said. "I may like or not like the laws and regulations to operate businesses in the UK or Germany or the US, but if I do business there I choose to comply with those laws and regulations. I can try to lobby to change them, but I need to comply with them. China in that way is not different."^{citation needed]}

France 2005

In September 2005, the French Ministry of Research, acting on advice from the general secretariat of national defence, issued an official disapproval of the use of Skype in public research and higher education; some services are interpreting this decision as an outright ban. The exact reasons for the decision were not given, but speculatively may relate to issues noted earlier, relating to inability to monitor the nature of information being communicated, possible extreme resource usage, or unknown potential actions of the software.

India 2006

In December 2006, the Government of India announced they are preparing a crackdown on Internet telephony services, citing security risks and loss of revenue. The clampdown is targeted at outsourcers and other Indian IT businesses that use foreign owned Internet telephony services, such as Skype and Yahoo!, to cut their phone bills and evade the six percent revenue share and 12 percent tax imposed on local services by the government. According to the The Times of India, companies must reveal the names of licensed service providers they purchase bandwidth and internet telephony minutes from. Companies will also have to undertake that they will not use the services of unlicensed internet service providers.

United Arab Emirates 2006

Skype was abruptly blocked in the UAE for undisclosed reasons--Skype users in the United Arab Emirates are being blocked from the Skype.com site, which prevents them from buying minutes for use with SkypeOut and taking advantage of deeply discounted international calling rates. The blockage has been speculated to originate within Etisalat, the only ISP in the UAE. Since Etisalat has a monopoly on telephony there, the motive could be economic, or it could be one of political control due to Skype's encryption of conversations...

Skype group (corporate)

On October 14, 2005, eBay acquired the company for €1.9 billion in cash and stock, plus an additional €1.5 billion in rewards (earn out) if goals are met by 2008.^[28][29]

Competition and alternatives

Open source alternatives

• Coccinella: includes support for Jingle.
• Ekiga: A free application that supports both H.323, SIP, audio and video. Ekiga was formerly known as GnomeMeeting. So far works only with various Linux based systems. No version for Microsoft Windows has been released yet, but there is a working snapshot available.
• Kiax[11]: VoIP application based on IAX.
• PSI: The current Beta version has protocol support for Jingle.
• Switchboard: Free VoIP applet which works from within a web browser. Works on Windows, Mac, Linux, and any other Java enabled platform. No installation necessary.
• Tapioca: Includes support for Jingle.
• WengoPhone: A free VoIP application based on SIP open standard.

Closed source alternatives

• Google Talk: A popular service provided by Google, based around the Jingle protocol.
• Gizmo Project: A closed source VoIP application based on SIP open standard and uses SRTP between clients. Now offering free landline/cell calls to over 60 countries
• iCall: A closed source free VoIP application based on SIP open standard and providing free PC to Phone calling in the US and Canada.
• Jajah: Alternative where no headset, no download, no installation and no broadband connection is necessary. A VoIP call gets activated between two normal phones.
• Secure Shuttle Transport (SST): Free encryption and secure messaging software including VoIP and video. Works on PCs running Windows 98 or higher.
• Raketu: A VoIP service that combines communication, information, and entertainment. Its integrated multi-messenger allows communication with contacts from AOL Instant Messenger, ICQ, MSN Messenger, Google Talk, Yahoo Messenger and Skype.
• SightSpeed: Free video and voice calling service supporting Mac & Windows. Also allows phone out and in calling.
• Parlino: A VoIP network based on open standard SIP-protocols, launched by Parlino S.A.
• Vbuzzer: A VoIP softphone and service as well as an active advocator of SIP open standard
• VoipBuster: A VoIP application offering 300 minutes per week of free calls to landlines in many countries, including the EU, USA, Australia, etc.
• VoipStunt: A VoIP application offering 300 minutes per week of free calls to landlines in many countries, including the EU, USA, Australia, etc.
• Zfone: A solution of Phil Zimmermann (inventor of PGP) to encrypt VoIP (SIP) sessions, protocol published as IETF draft. [12]
• TipicIM: A free VoIP application, Videocalling based on XMPP/Jabber and Speex audio codec support
• [ClosedTalk]®: A secure VoIP software free from CE-Infosys for Business/Personal use. Works on PCs running Windows 2000/XP. [ClosedTalk] exposes 'man in the middle' attacks by displaying a short security message on both caller screens for comparison.
• BT Communicator: A VoIP service from British Telecom (BT plc.)
• Windows Live Messenger: Free voice and video calling with PC to phone calling capability (provided by Verizon).