more on French government bans Skype at Universities

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Tony Finch <dot () dotat at>
Date: October 25, 2005 9:04:59 AM EDT
To: dave () farber net, "Steven M. Bellovin" <smb () cs columbia edu>
Cc: Tony Finch <dot () dotat at>
Subject: Re: [IP] French government bans Skype at Universities


> According to http://www.01net.com/editorial/289360/telephonie/skype-
> banni-des-facs-par-la-securite-nationale/
> the French government has banned use of Skype at universities.  The
> purported reason: it's insecure.

There has been a lot of discussion of Skype in UK academia too. The
particular problem is its NAT-traversing feature, where two random  
people
communicate via someone else's computer which acts as a proxy for thir
phone call. This proxying is (according to some interpretations) against
the academic computing rules, since it is providing networking services
to third parties neither of whom is associated with the University,
and (here's where the security aspect comes in) without any options for
control by the user running Skype or the network administrators.

Obviously Skype is too useful to ban, particularly if you consider
foreign students, so the rules are often being interpreted in a more
favourable manner.

[PS. I was entertained by SMB's talk about nuclear weapon security
mechanisms last week at the Cambridge University Computer Laboratory.]

Tony.
--
f.a.n.finch  <dot () dotat at>  http://dotat.at/
LYME REGIS TO LANDS END INCLUDING THE ISLES OF SCILLY: SOUTHWEST 6 OR 7,
OCCASIONALLY GALE 8 AROUND EXPOSED HEADLANDS, BACKING SOUTH 4 OR 5,  
INCREASING
6 OR 7 LATER IN WEST.


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