Skype confirms Android privacy exploit, promises fix
updated 02:15 pm EDT, Fri April 15, 2011
Skype ackowledges Android app vulnerability
The privacy vulnerability in the Skype app on Android handsets found earlier today has now been officially acknowledged by Skype. The chat provider said it's now hard at work on a fix that will secure the file permissions on the Skype for Android app. It didn't give a timeline for the fix.
Skype is urging users to be careful about the apps they download and install onto their Android devices. Other than securing the file permissions, Skype can also implement an encryption scheme. In the future, the company should ensure its apps undergo a more thorough security review.
Android phone owners discovered that using a malicious third-party app in tandem with Skype risked exposing cached profile information and instant messages. For VoIP callers, that could include personal details like names as well as anything shared between users.
