A software developer who designed a way to tap and record calls made on Skype and other VoIP networks has made the source code of the spying program public, a move he said will allow other programmers to build workarounds to the potential threat. The programmer, Ruben Unteregger, was tasked by his former company ERA IT Solutions to write a Trojan horse program that could tap VoIP calls for the Swiss government.

Apparently, the program bypassed Skype’s heralded encryption process, one that has vexed security officials in Europe multiple times.

In a translated interview, Untregger discussed his rationale for releasing the code.

“The code will be published, it will get analyzed as soon as the binaries got uploaded, signature patterns will be created by anti-virus companies, the malware will be detected, blocked and deleted, if it tries to infect a system,” Untregger said.

Untregger’s motives appear to be genuinely in the interest of private citizens and enterprises that use VoIP services like Skype, as the publicizing of the code makes its use by security agencies redundant, according to a Computer World report. However, making this code available could have negative repercussions if hackers can use it to build even more powerful tapping programs. Other instances of Skype hacking, such as China’s purported monitoring of dissident communication via VoIP programs, gives one pause when considering the public availability of such information.

How Can Gold Lock Enterprise ensure Data Security?
We are seeing a rise in attacks from Viruses and Trojans exponentially thanks to the expansion of the internet and broadband technologies, which have essentially opened up the Internet to a vast majority of hackers who unscrupulously target both home users and corporations.

No longer do hackers need to target specific files, they can infiltrate a whole system and just steal the entire hard-drive. This includes previously deleted files and also e-mails, keystrokes and VOIP communications.

Are you at risk of Industrial Espionage? Ask yourself these questions:
• How many sensitive e-mails have you sent?
• Do you discuss sensitive information on your cell phone?
• Have you ever used your credit card online?
• Do you use payroll and accounting software?
• Does your company run regular backups?

If the answer is yes to one or more and you have not taken adequate precautions, then it is not a case of if but a matter of when you will be compromised.

It costs the average business $45,000 to recover a security breach and this does not take into account the value of stolen data. When you look at the many recent cases of government data theft, the cost of data stolen has reached into millions of dollars.

Thankfully, from a financial point of view achieving adequate data security is not hideously expensive. By utilizing a multi-layered approach, one can ensure that not only all entry points are covered, but also all communications are secure and data access is restricted and secured against snooping.

Numerous software packages exist to perform these roles, but for those looking for an all-in-one solution, then consider using the award-winning Gold Lock Enterprise suite of products. Our software can turn the tides in the war of information.