NetStumbler.com

Following approval by the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Aviation Administration, AirCell announced it will bring in-flight Internet service in airlines, which passengers can avail of starting early next year. In 2006, the airplane cabin communications company shelled out $31.3 million to own spectrum formerly used for pricey air-phone service, which it will now devote to Internet and cellphone service.

Under the plan, AirCell promises to finish installing equipment, which weighs less than 100 pounds, on the cabin overnight. The gear will serve as a Wi-Fi hotspot and enables laptop computers and devices such as a Wi-Fi-enabled Blackberry to access the Internet. Blumenstein said passengers will pay no more than $10 per day for the service and sees partnerships with T-Mobile, iPass and Boingo. He expects speeds of the in-flight service to be similar to that on the ground. The service, however, will not allow VoIP calls except when pilots, flight attendants and air marshals need to speak with people on the ground concerning scheduling, safety and security issues.
Via [online.wsj.com]

Some security experts doubt that Skype is the best way to go for businesses. According to Gartner research director Lawrence Orans, Skype’s reliance on a proprietary signaling protocol makes it vulnerable, as standard firewall products cannot be used to secure it. The code, he said, has problems and Skype “has not shown enterprise-level capabilities in timely development and distribution of patches, workarounds and guidance.” A 2005 independent study by cryptographer and security expert Tom Berson would dispute Oran’s opinion: the analysis showed Skype’s protocol is difficult to crack.

Mark Osborne, chief information security officer at carrier Interoute, said Skype can be used to spread viruses and be exploited by keyword loggers in malware. Antivirus company F-Secure warned Skype users to be careful of chat messages telling them to click a link, which would cause downloading of the Warezov worm.

Vishing is another risk. The March 2007 Symantec Internet Security Report showed a survey of information stolen through identity theft, including Skype passwords available from “underground economy” servers. Passwords go for $12 each, while the price of stolen credit card details with card verification values ranges from $1 to $6. A full identity information including US bank account, credit card, date of birth and government issued identification number is sold for $14 to $18.
Via [silicon.com]