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Basically I'm wondering if a Skype video session along with audio could be logged (or recorded) over a virtual private network? I know whoever hosts the VPN server can log which websites you visit (or how often you visit them) along with other sensitive material such as user names, passwords, emails, and bank account numbers but can they watch your video session along with hearing audio feedback?

Could they do this in real-time as well?

It'd be actually pretty freaky to know this. Thank you for your time.

W3Geek
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Skype encrypts all traffic.

https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA31/does-skype-use-encryption

Your VPN provider can record this traffic, but I think they won't be able to decrypt it.

However... Skype itself is able to decrypt this. Since MS took over, all traffic is directed over their servers, and they have the keys used for encryption. In the old days, once the connection was setup, traffic was between sender and receiver directly, which was much more efficient, but less convenient for certain US agencies.

SPRBRN
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As the Skype protocol is proprietary, it may not be trivial to do understand eavesdropped paquets after the VPN server (i.e. between the VPN server and your correspondant). I believe there is also some Skype-session encryption involved. However, you VPN connection is encrypted between you and your VPN server only. What happens between the server and your friend may not be as well encrypted as what you had between you and your server.

I hope this answers your question. Comment if you need more depth in the answer.

franckysnow
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  • I think it mostly answers my question. So it isn't impossible but it'd take an expert to eavesdropped on a session over Skype using a VPN tunnel... even if they were sitting on the other side of the tunnel. – W3Geek Jan 09 '14 at 01:41
  • @W3Geek : correct, it is theoretically possible (crypto point of view), but technically really hard. It would need a deep understanding of Skype's protocol. But remember a basic security's pragma: "security through obscurity" never works long. There are also secure VoIP solutions (commercial or governmental): SVoIP and VoSIP are two examples. If this answers, remember to click on "Resolve" :) – franckysnow Jan 19 '14 at 17:00