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Category — Skype hacking
Microsoft Won't Patch a Severe Skype Vulnerability Anytime Soon

Microsoft Won't Patch a Severe Skype Vulnerability Anytime Soon

Feb 14, 2018
A serious vulnerability has been discovered in Microsoft-owned most popular free web messaging and voice calling service Skype that could potentially allow attackers to gain full control of the host machine by granting system-level privileges to a local, unprivileged user. The worst part is that this vulnerability will not be patched by Microsoft anytime soon. It's not because the flaw is unpatchable, but because fixing the vulnerability requires a significant software rewrite, which indicates that the company will need to issue an all-new version of Skype rather than just a patch. The vulnerability has been discovered and reported to Microsoft by security researcher Stefan Kanthak and resides in Skype's update installer, which is susceptible to Dynamic Link Libraries (DLL) hijacking. According to the researcher, a potential attacker could exploit the "functionality of the Windows DLL loader where the process loading the DLL searches for the DLL to be loaded fi
Critical Skype Bug Lets Hackers Remotely Execute Malicious Code

Critical Skype Bug Lets Hackers Remotely Execute Malicious Code

Jun 28, 2017
A critical vulnerability has been discovered in Microsoft-owned most popular free web messaging and voice calling service Skype that could allow hackers to remotely execute malicious code and crash systems. Skype is a free online service that allows users to communicate with peers by voice, video, and instant messaging over the Internet. The service was acquired by Microsoft Corporation in May 2011 for US$8.5 Billion due to its worldwide popularity. Security researcher Benjamin Kunz-Mejri from Germany-based security firm Vulnerability Lab discovered the previously unknown stack buffer overflow vulnerability, which is documented in CVE-2017-9948 , in Skype Web's messaging and call service during a team conference call. The vulnerability is considered a high-security risk with a 7.2 CVSS score and affects Skype versions 7.2, 7.35, and 7.36 on Windows XP, Windows 7 and Windows 8, Mejri said in a public security disclosure published on Monday. "The issue can be exploi
5 Actionable Steps to Prevent GenAI Data Leaks Without Fully Blocking AI Usage

5 Actionable Steps to Prevent GenAI Data Leaks Without Fully Blocking AI Usage

Oct 01, 2024Generative AI / Data Protection
Since its emergence, Generative AI has revolutionized enterprise productivity. GenAI tools enable faster and more effective software development, financial analysis, business planning, and customer engagement. However, this business agility comes with significant risks, particularly the potential for sensitive data leakage. As organizations attempt to balance productivity gains with security concerns, many have been forced to choose between unrestricted GenAI usage to banning it altogether. A new e-guide by LayerX titled 5 Actionable Measures to Prevent Data Leakage Through Generative AI Tools is designed to help organizations navigate the challenges of GenAI usage in the workplace. The guide offers practical steps for security managers to protect sensitive corporate data while still reaping the productivity benefits of GenAI tools like ChatGPT. This approach is intended to allow companies to strike the right balance between innovation and security. Why Worry About ChatGPT? The e
5-year-old Skype Backdoor Discovered — Mac OS X Users Urged to Update

5-year-old Skype Backdoor Discovered — Mac OS X Users Urged to Update

Dec 14, 2016
Those innocent-looking apps in your smartphone can secretly spy on your communications or could allow hackers to do so. Hard to believe, but it's true. Recently, Trustwave's SpiderLabs analysts discovered a hidden backdoor in Skype for Apple's macOS and Mac OS X operating systems that could be used to spy on users' communications without their knowledge. The backdoor actually resides in the desktop Application Programming Interface (API) that allows third-party plugins and apps to communicate with Microsoft-owned Skype — the popular video chat and messaging service. Appeared to have been around since at least 2010, the backdoor could allow any malicious third-party app to bypass authentication procedure and provide nearly complete access to Skype on Mac OS X. How an Attacker can Take Complete Control of Your Skype The malicious app could bypass authentication process if they "identified themselves as the program responsible for interfacing with th
cyber security

2024 State of SaaS Security Report eBook

websiteWing SecuritySaaS Security / Insider Threat
A research report featuring astonishing statistics on the security risks of third-party SaaS applications.
This Simple Message Can Crash Skype Badly and Forces Re-Installation

This Simple Message Can Crash Skype Badly and Forces Re-Installation

Jun 03, 2015
Just last week iPhone and iPad users were dealing with an iOS text bug that caused the app to crash and iPhones to reboot , now a similar bug has been found that takes out Skype — the popular video chat and messaging service. Yes, Microsoft-owned Skype VoIP client is also affected by a bug that crashes almost every single version of the Skype client on both desktops and mobile phones with a single message containing just eight characters. Also: The impacts are so bad that it requires a re-install in order to get things working hitch-free again. Just Send 'https://:' and Crash Skype If a user receives a message during a conversation on Skype containing the text string " https://: " (without the quotes), it reportedly crashes Skype when running on Windows, Android, or iOS operating system, according to reports on Skype forums . However, Skype app for Mac and the modern touch-optimized version of Skype app for Windows 8.1 are reportedly unaffecte
Warning: "A new message from Skype Voicemail Service" spam leads to Zeus Malware

Warning: "A new message from Skype Voicemail Service" spam leads to Zeus Malware

Nov 29, 2013
Skype has been targeted by cyber criminals again this week. Users are receiving a new Spam Email with subject " You received a new message from the Skype voice mail service. ", that actually leads to Zeus Malware . Zeus is a Trojan horse that attempts to steal confidential information from the compromised computer. It specifically targets system information, online credentials, and banking details, but can be customized through the toolkit to gather any sort of information. The email is sent from the spoofed address " Skype Communications " and seems to be genuine, it has similar body content and the official Skype logo that usually comes with a legitimate Skype voice mail alerts. " This is an automated email, please don't reply. Voice Message Notification. You received a new message from the Skype voice mail service. " the email reads. The fraudsters have also tried to make the emails look genuine by adding real links back to the Skype website. According to MX Lab , the attached f
Social Engineering Skype Support team to hack any account instantly

Social Engineering Skype Support team to hack any account instantly

Apr 10, 2013
You can install the industry's strongest and most expensive firewall. You can educate employees about basic security procedures and the importance of choosing strong passwords. You can even lock-down the server room, but how do you protect a company from the threat of social engineering attacks? For any of you that are involved in security awareness efforts, you know what I am talking about. It could happen tomorrow, it could happen today or it might already have happened. In a recent disclosure  posted by renowned hacker and developer  DarkCoderSc (Jean-Pierre LESUEUR) explained that how one can easily Socially Engineer Microsoft Skype Support team to get access to any skype account. From a social engineering perspective, employees are the weak link in the chain of security measures in place. He simply used the weakness of Skype password recovery system itself. One simply need to request a new password to Skype support and asking to change the password. After  
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