Technology News: Most people have resorted to video conferencing to keep themselves occupied and in touch with family and friends during the COVID-19 pandemic. The past days have seen Zoom gain popularity although there are concerns about the security it can provide to people using the said app.
Probably aware that most are looking for alternatives, Microsoft has tweaked the Skype script a bit, offering bored people an alternative way of keeping in touch. Better yet, they have made it easier for people to use the equally popular messaging app by ditching the need to create an account and download it to get started.
Those who want to check out what Skype has to offer can do so via its new page which can be found here. With the changes, folks can now engage in meetings with no sign-ups or downloads needed. Some probably continue to use Skype for messaging and conference calls so the transition should be easier for those who have existing accounts. But the key thing about this is that Skype offers a bit more security for users compared to Zoom.
Voice, video, text, and files sent between Skype users are encrypted, but only between a user’s device and Microsoft’s servers. Skype clients create a unique 256-bit AES encryption keys for a session, something that exists for as long as communication continues or for a fixed time.
Also, Skype has been around for quite some time and the people behind it are likely used to dealing with intruders already. It may not have the perfect secure way of engaging in video conferences or chats but seems a bit better compared to the security issues linked to Zoom.
In a previous post, it was discussed how Zoom lacked the proper security protocol to keep participants safe. There are also glitches wherein anyone can crash a meeting and take over a user’s screen. Known as Zoombombing, trolls can do their malicious needs and even broadcast illicit content like porn.
Skype’s offer comes in the nick of time with most looking for alternatives to keep themselves occupied. Most are holed up at home to avoid getting infected by the coronavirus. There are plenty of other apps that can be used to stay in touch though most have constraints. Again, this makes Skype a worthy preference being around since 2003.
