Skype malicious activity

[paicrai]

I just reset my pc a few days ago, installed things like Steam, Uplay, Geforce Experiene, Avast!, Skype and Malwarebytes, so it's pretty weird that this is happening with a shiny new PC

after I set up Skype, Malwarebytes has been blocking "malicious activity" to an IP each in China, Moldova, Netherlands and **** like that, and according to some people hackers are protected by the authorities in these countries, haven't looked that up myself, but I have a hard time believing that
This is just like every other place I've seen this asked after many Google searches, same IP's and countries, same damn issue which seems like it affects every single Skype user, most of the threads are unresolved and as old as 2011, the ones that apparently are solved I can't make any sense of
What do you guys think?

Right now I'm using Skype on my phone to get as many people as possible to add me on steam or get a steam account so that I can abandon Skype, both on PC and phone

[osi]

Are you sure that's coming from skype?? Odd

Could it be an app or program that is licensed via alternative methods (read: cracked)?

[paicrai]

The Malwarebytes popup says "Skype.exe" and it only happens when Skype is running

[osi]

Oh wow - The first thing that comes to mind is that maybe heartbeats or some "health" service inside of skype is talking with its home servers on that side of the globe.

Moldova and China are concerning though. Malware-bytes has been legit for me in the past so I tend to believe the blocks are real. Interesting....

All of your other programs are legit though??

[paicrai]

Oh wow - The first thing that comes to mind is that maybe heartbeats or some "health" service inside of skype is talking with its home servers on that side of the globe.

Moldova and China are concerning though. Malware-bytes has been legit for me in the past so I tend to believe the blocks are real. Interesting....

All of your other programs are legit though??

Yes, all of my other programs are legit.

[osi]

Skype has a support request page (http://www.skype.com/go/contactcs). The best route may be to submit an official inquiry unless you are a paying customer, then there are other options for support.

When malware-bytes blocks the outgoing connections to those countries, does the skype application still function correctly?

[paicrai]

Skype has a support request page (http://www.skype.com/go/contactcs). The best route may be to submit an official inquiry unless you are a paying customer, then there are other options for support.

When malware-bytes blocks the outgoing connections to those countries, does the skype application still function correctly?

Pretty sure it does function normally afterwards, yes.

[osi]

You've probably gave this a read already - http://community.skype.com/t5/Security-Privacy-Trust-and/suspicious-outgoing-IP-attempts/td-p/68170

I don't use skype but after seeing this activity would make me STOP using the software. Good luck on the information quest -- not sure how much info you'll get from skype support if you reach out to them, it would not hurt to try though.

[paicrai]

About the Skype support thing... "Sorry, we couldn't find an existing Skype account for you. Please contact customer support for more help." What the **** is that supposed to mean!? That's an evil loop! I can't contact support about either of these problems because apparently the account you found (that belongs to me and I sign in with my password that works) for me to sign in to to submit the request thing doesn't exist EVEN THOUGH YOU FOUND IT AND SHOWED IT TO ME. THEN I CAN'T LOG IN TO THAT SO I TRIED TO RESET MY PASSWORD. NOPE IT DOESN'T EXIST. WTF.

[osi]

About the Skype support thing... "Sorry, we couldn't find an existing Skype account for you. Please contact customer support for more help." What the **** is that supposed to mean!? That's an evil loop! I can't contact support about either or these problems because apparently the account you found for me to sign in to to submit the request thing doesn't exist EVEN THOUGH YOU FOUND IT AND SHOWED IT TO ME. THEN I CAN'T LOG IN TO THAT SO I TRIED TO RESET MY PASSWORD. NOPE IT DOESN'T EXIST. WTF.

Gremlins!!

[paicrai]

I think I'm just going to convert my friends to something not powered by Satanic rituals and toss Skype into Mount Doom.

[Kayla]

It honestly just sounds like Skype's own servers are being blocked. Skype has a myriad of overseas boxes.. most in the netherlands from what I know.

China and Moldova is another story though >_>

[Zeal]

I've encountered those Skype IP blocks ever since I purchased the "eureka" lifetime Malwarebytes license. I think it's just Skype's servers piniging you when somebody searches for a friend / spam bots that occasionally add you as a friend.

[Kayla]

Have you made any enemies lately?

[paicrai]

yes, actually
lolol

[Kayla]

yes, actually
lolol

The people requesting your vcard could possibly be trying to grab your IP using a pretty dated method that doesnt really work anymore. Not sure if the requests are routed through skype or not. Might be why youre getting these foreign requests. Maybe try making a new skype?

[paicrai]

If you're talking about contact requests being malicious, they can only harm you if you accept them. Or at least that's what I've heard, please confirm. If you want an IP off of skype you need to get in a call.

[paicrai]

I'd also appreciate if this doesn't turn into a pessimistic "You're ****ed." thread. 

[Kayla]

If you're talking about contact requests being malicious, they can only harm you if you accept them. Or at least that's what I've heard, please confirm. If you want an IP off of skype you need to get in a call.

I can confirm that you dont need to accept anything unless youre using the newest skype version. Before hand the vulnerability worked by fetching your vcard and reading your sign in data but needed a valid friend reuest sent or something to the degree. You didnt need to be friends with the person or anything. The new version of skype fixed it. The way the pullers worked was they farmed IPs from a modified client and stored them in a database by request when the person signed in. It doesnt work anymore.

It may also be worth noteing that all the IP pull tools are hosted on known networks and those networks have been blacklisted by Mbam.

[paicrai]

Well, since the version of Skype I have was downloaded a few days ago, I should be safe?

[Kayla]

Well, since the version of Skype I have was downloaded a few days ago, I should be safe?

Yeah. The malicious requests are just failed attempts probably? If you still get them on a new account then there is something wrong. Im just guessing its some skiddy messing with you and failing (no tonly because the method doesnt work but because mbam prevented it). I could be wrong though.

[paicrai]

Thanks a lot for your help! 

[Puddsy]

If you're talking about contact requests being malicious, they can only harm you if you accept them. Or at least that's what I've heard, please confirm. If you want an IP off of skype you need to get in a call.

It's fairly easy to get an IP from skype even if you're not in the call

but that's beside the point.