Skype admits message leak bug but fix incoming

There’s a nasty little Skype bug that’s starting to do the rounds you may want to pay attention to. Engadget reports that the VOIP client has been hit by an issue that will cause messages to be randomly forwarded to other people in your contacts list. The bug was first discovered in June by members on Skype’s support forums, but the company is just getting around to acknowledging the issue, saying that they’re currently working on a fix.

It’s a pretty scary privacy issue, even if it’s only affecting a small number of people right now. Thankfully, Skype is aware of the bug, saying in a statement: “We are aware that in rare circumstances IM’s between two contacts could be sent to an unintended third contact. We are rolling out a fix for this issue in the next few days and will notify our users to download an updated version of Skype.”

Until then, you’ll just have to pay extra attention to what you’re sending out over Skype. We’ll keep an eye out and let you know when Skype issues the fix, but in the meantime it might be a good idea to think twice before hitting “send” on that private message.


Skype admits message leak bug but fix incoming is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
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Skype confirms ‘rare’ bug that sends messages to unintended contacts, promises fix soon

'Rare' Skype bug sends messages to unintended contacts, fix promised soon  Only a handful of Skype users have reported this problem over at the support forum, but what they’re complaining about is pretty hair-raising. They say that, following an update in June, instant messages have repeatedly and unintentionally been forwarded to random people in their contact lists. In other words, third-parties are seeing stuff they were never meant to see, which constitutes a serious breach of privacy. Skype now tells us it’s aware of the issue and is working on a fix. Here’s the official response in full:

“We are aware that in rare circumstances IM’s between two contacts could be sent to an unintended third contact. We are rolling out a fix for this issue in the next few days and will notify our users to download an updated version of Skype.”

[Thanks, Kuldar]

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Skype confirms ‘rare’ bug that sends messages to unintended contacts, promises fix soon originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 09:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Facebook Android app update requires Froyo, tweaks messaging and picture taking

Facebook for Android update requires Froyo, tweaks messaging and picture taking

Just an FYI, the folks over at Facebook have shoved another update to their app for Android out the door today. While version 1.9.7 won’t add any new apps to your launcher, it does require some new permissions (phone status), require Android 2.2 and up, and offers some changes for the messaging and integrated camera experience. The camera app supports front-mounted shooter, while messaging improves switching between conversations, including friends of friends, sharing bigger photos and seeing who is available. There’s also various bug fixes, faster app login and navigation plus an unspecified security improvement, so even if your social media experience doesn’t include duckfaced self-pics and staying up on the latest gossip, it may be worth grabbing sooner rather than later.

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Facebook Android app update requires Froyo, tweaks messaging and picture taking originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Jul 2012 20:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mozilla giving Thunderbird the (effective) axe, leaving its fate to the community

Mozilla reportedly giving Thunderbird the effective axe, leaving its fate to the community

Mozilla’s Thunderbird mail client just hasn’t enjoyed the same level of stardom as its Firefox cousin. Their developer must be feeling this discrepancy more than most, as the company has confirmed plans to take the organization out of active Thunderbird development. The shift is officially being spun as an adaptation that lets the Foundation center its energy on Firefox OS and the usual browser plans, but when Mozilla proper will only be handling bug fixes and security updates for a client that’s “not a priority,” we’d say it’s putting Thunderbird on ice. Accordingly, leaked details from TechCrunch show Mozilla moving some of the team out of the project at some point; any new features will have to come from the community, which suggests the future upgrade schedule will be more than a bit unpredictable. The writing is on the wall soon enough that existing owners could have food for thought well before a final strategy is due in early September.

Mozilla giving Thunderbird the (effective) axe, leaving its fate to the community originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 21:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Galaxy Chat brings Nature UX to the messaging crowd

Samsung Galaxy Chat brings Nature UX to the messaging crowd

We didn’t have to wait long to find out what Samsung would do with the GT-B5330 we saw just a day ago: meet the much more elegantly-titled Galaxy Chat. The finished product is Samsung’s first phone outside of the Galaxy S III to carry the Nature UX layer, but takes it in a very message-happy direction with a QWERTY keyboard, a bundled copy of Quick Office and a dedicated key for ChatON that reminds us of the BlackBerry Curve 9320’s BBM shortcut. Not that you’d confuse the two otherwise, as the Galaxy Chat’s 3-inch, 480 x 320 touchscreen and 4GB of built-in storage (plus a microSD slot) are decided steps up. About our only letdowns relative to the category are the 2-megapixel, flashless camera at the back and the difficulty some will have in getting their hands on Samsung’s first keyboard-touting Android 4.0 phone. Unlike the global blitz we saw with the Galaxy S III, the Chat is launching in Spain this month and will exclude some large swaths of the Earth when it goes worldwide later on, leaving out Africa, North America and Russia.

Samsung Galaxy Chat brings Nature UX to the messaging crowd originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Jul 2012 11:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Line messaging and VoIP app adds ‘timeline’ and ‘home’ features, throws in new platform for app integration

Line messaging and VoIP app adds 'Timeline' and 'Home' features, throws in new platform for app integration

With now over 45 million users, while you may not use Line yourself, someone you know (or at least someone they know) probably does. The Asia-centric Skype rival has decided to roll-out some extra functionality and is looking to go a few rounds with even bigger competition. ‘Home’ offers up a base for sharing photos and other content, as well as your own status updates, while the ‘timeline’ feature will throw together a familiar-sounding chronological breakdown of your latest adventures to show your friends, adding in the ability to comment on each other’s posts. Its ‘Line channel’ sounds even more nebulous and aims to use the existing app as a foundation for integrating and linking to yet more programs and services. The screenshots hint at camera, gaming and (yes) horoscope integration, while Line is gearing up for both HTML5 and native applications. Hit up the company’s notions on a heavily connected messaging service in two servings of press release, right after the break.

Continue reading Line messaging and VoIP app adds ‘timeline’ and ‘home’ features, throws in new platform for app integration

Line messaging and VoIP app adds ‘timeline’ and ‘home’ features, throws in new platform for app integration originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Jul 2012 14:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Users reporting BBM down, joins Instagram in being less social (update: RIM’s on it)

Users reporting BBM down, joins Instagram in being less social

First Netflix, then Instagram, now BBM? We’re getting reports along with plenty of Twitter noise that the popular BlackBerry service has headed south. This makes for one heck of an anti-social weekend if you’re a photo-sharing, BBM-er for sure. Let us know if you’ve been affected by the service, in the meantime why not read up on some tech news? We’ve plenty!

Update: We’ve just received word from RIM itself explaining the situation. Basically, you might experience some hiccups with BBM and web browsing, but everything else should be back to normal. Check out the response below:

Today, we experienced a service issue which may have affected some of our customers in certain parts of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Some minor issues relating to browsing and BlackBerry Messenger may still persist, but all other services are operating as normal. We apologize to any customers in these regions who may have been inconvenienced.

Users reporting BBM down, joins Instagram in being less social (update: RIM’s on it) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 30 Jun 2012 09:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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