Skype updates app with end-to-end encryption

Published on January 11, 2018

Skype is undoubtedly one of the most popular video-chatting applications with nearly 300 million monthly users. The company has decided to provide these users with the most important privacy protection – end-to-end encryption of chats. Redmond giant Microsoft revealed on Thursday, 11th January, that they plan on updating the application with the end-to-end encryption. From here on, audio calls, text messages, multi-media messages and the rest of the data will be protected by the privacy protection through a feature called, ‘Private Conversations.’

Skype updates app with end-to-end encryption.

As pointed out by Wired, video-chatting application Skype is expected to depend on the open-source Signal Protocol facility in order to integrate this privacy feature with the platform. For those who aren’t aware, Signal Protocol is specifically set up so “that only the devices sending and receiving communications in a conversation can hear or view them,” reveals the report.

This means that even the servers that these messages are passing through, can’t view it. “Skype is one of the most popular applications in the world, and we’re excited that Private Conversations in Skype will allow more users to take advantage of Signal Protocol’s strong encryption properties for secure communication,” says Signal developer Joshua Lund. 

All the way back in 2000, the video chatting application was perceived as being the most secure option for online audio calls and chats. This was solely because the company which owned Skype back then incorporated a decentralized person-to-person network. Since the time Microsoft overtook Skype, the platform’s architecture began showing changes. Following which, users began getting concerned regarding the protection that it offered.

Since the implementation of Private Conversations, this sort of snooping is going to become impossible. There’s still a catch in this. “You still have to decide if you trust Microsoft with your metadata, but that’s a decision you have to make with every encrypted communications service,” says Eva Galperin, the director of cybersecurity at the digital rights group the Electronic Frontier Foundation. “When companies like Skype make these kinds of changes, I think it’s important to applaud them for going in the right direction, while still reminding them that there is more that needs to be done.”

Enjoyed this video?
Skype updates app with end-to-end encryption
"No Thanks. Please Close This Box!"