mondetto

Hello everyone,

It seems that everyone is using the incredibly popular VoIP solution Skype these days. Why use a conventional phone and pay for regular phone calls when you can have voice and video connections, file-transfer and instant messaging services over the Internet for free? The decision to use Skype is a “no brainer” right?

Well, things are not always as they seem! Today I would like to tell you what I think about the Skype VoIP system. There are certainly some benefits to using Skype but there is also a darker side to Skype that many people are unaware of. Today, the dark side of Skype!

First please bear with me as I talk a little bit about Google (don’t worry, I’ll connect all of the dots in a moment).

People are watching hundreds of millions of videos a day on Google’s YouTube and uploading hundreds of thousands of videos daily. In fact, every minute, 20 hours of video is uploaded to YouTube. Have you ever wondered where Google stores all of those videos? Well, Google has thousands of data server farms scattered across the world one of which is thought to be in The Dalles, Oregon. This container based data center in Oregon houses 45,000 servers in 45 huge containers. The 45,000 servers are full of Google data, and believe you me that’s a lot of data!

Now, have you ever wondered where Skype processes all of your voice, video, file and instant messaging data? As of early 2010, over 2 billion copies of the Skype software have been downloaded and over 20 million users are online constantly. Where are all of the Skype call processing server farms located?

Well, are you ready for this? SKYPE HAS NO CALL PROCESSING SERVER FARMS!!

Then how does Skype do all of it’s call processing and traffic routing you ask? If Skype doesn’t do it who does??

Well are you ready for this? YOU DO!!!!!

Yes you! Like the true peer to peer parasite that it is, Skype will use your computers processor and your fast PC Internet connection bandwidth to process calls for, and route traffic to, other users!

Take a look at the Skype PERMISSION TO UTILIZE license agreement that you agree to when you download and install the software:

ARTICLE 4.1: PERMISSION TO UTILIZE YOUR COMPUTER. In order to receive the benefits provided by 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 Skype software users.

Is this incredible or what? Skype traffic will be sent through your computer as you become a Skype “supernode”. Your computer performance will be affected and your bandwidth usage will increase as your machine is used by other Skype users.

Where are the Skype servers you ask? THEY ARE IN YOUR HOME!! YOUR COMPUTER IS A SKYPE SERVER!!

If you have a fast Internet connection Skype will use your machine as a supernode and convert it into a Skype server to handle voice and video calls to and from other Skype users from all over the world. Just imagine, large flows of inbound and outbound traffic through your machine that have nothing to do with your calls. You use Skype? Skype uses you!

Enough for today. In my next post I’ll talk more about Skype and I’ll show you how to configure  Skype in a way that will keep you and your machine somewhat safer.

Professor Randy says: Sure Skype is inexpensive, popular, and very appealing but there is a dark side to Skype! By becoming aware of the many privacy, security, and resource issues that are created by Skype, you will be able to make an informed decision concerning it’s use.