Microsoft finally adds end to end encryption to Skype

With more than 300 million monthly users, Skype is one of the most popular chat platforms in the world. Now its users can benefit from the added security end-to-end encryption offers. Microsoft has partnered with Signal to integrate the company’s end-to-end encryption protocol into Skype.
Signal is one of the most widely-used secure messaging applications in the world. Not only has Edward Snowden recommended anyone concerned about their privacy to use the app, it got approved to be used in the US Senate last year.
Microsoft already uses standard encryption for their chats, audio and video calls but this can be decrypted by Microsoft at will – or if forced to. End-to-end encryption ensures that only the two people talking to each other and no middle man – even Microsoft – can decipher the content.
There is a catch though. The feature, dubbed Private Conversations is currently only available to Skype Insider testers and can only be used for one-to-one chats. Microsoft claims that end-to-end encryption will not be offered for group conversations. The feature also doesn’t support video calling.
Microsoft program manager Ellen Kilbourne said in a statement – “With Private Conversations, you can have end-to-end encrypted Skype audio calls and send text messages or files like images, audio, or videos, using the industry standard Signal Protocol by Open Whisper Systems. The content of these conversations will be hidden in the chat list as well as in notifications to keep the information you share private”.
Signal also posted a blog on their website which said – “At Signal, our goal is to make private communication simple and ubiquitous. With hundreds of millions of active users, Skype is one of the most popular applications in the world, and we’re excited that Private Conversations in Skype will allow more users to take advantage of Signal Protocol’s strong encryption properties for secure communication”.