Re: skype?

[Scott Ferguson <scott.ferguson.debian.user@gmail.com>]

On 11/04/12 02:39, Russell L. Harris wrote:
> * Scott Ferguson <scott.ferguson.debian.user@gmail.com> [120410
> 15:48]:
>> On 10/04/12 04:24, Russell L. Harris wrote:
>>> I am concerned with the "big brother" privacy,
> ...
>> Note also that Skype is encrypted, but Skype has a history of
>> handing out the private key.
> 
> Which precisely is my concern.
> 
> The greater the diversity of transport, the better.

Agreed - I support choices (diversity).

> And, in general, the less the concern with being overheard, the
> better

Definitely not Debian related - but I'd conditionally agree. The
condition being that we recognise that a better situation is where being
overheard does not lead to judgement. A world where we are free to speak
freely is better (IMO) than a world where we're free from being
overheard. There's a difference.

>  -- for such concern reduces traffic, and a large stream is
> infinitely more difficult to monitor than is a tiny stream.

>From a programming point of view I have problems with "infinite" - and
degrees of difficulty require only improved algorithms or more CPU power...

> 
>> From the logistical standpoint, routine monitoring of peer-to-peer
> conversations through a multitude of channels -- even unencoded --
> is almost impossible, even with keyword searching (which results in 
> innumerable false positives).

That's not my limited understanding. And that's without allowing for
optical processors and quantum computing.

Consider the amount of data generated by a person communications as
compared to the data generated by the rest of their life. The problems
tend to occur with sorting out the chaff not in capturing the data. And
it's only error correction of a fine scale that is particularly
difficult - adjusting for deliberate muddying of data on larger subsets
of data is fairly routine.

> But if every conversation goes through the same pipeline, even
> encryption can be overcome.

Likewise that's not my, limited, understanding - it has been partially
achieved but only through poor implementation of encryption. eg. Skype's
padding.

NOTE: definitely not my field of expertise - I'd suggest Bruce Schneier
is the man to ask (rumoured to have memorised all Debian encryption
keys). There is at least one regular reader of this list who might also
have an informed opinion (but I won't name him).

> 
> RLH
> 
<snipped>

Interesting thoughts Russell, but... if this is to become another OT
thread (it kind of is already) it should be moved to the OT list.

Kind regards