Multiple security flaws in the popular Skype voice chat application could put millions of users at risk of computer takeover attacks, the company acknowledged Tuesday.

Skype Technologies S.A., which is being acquired by eBay Inc., warned in two separate advisories that the vulnerabilities could lead of system access or denial-of-service attacks.

The Skype program, which uses peer-to-peer technology to route phone calls over the Internet, is one of the most popular desktop applications sitting behind firewalls, making the threat vector even more serious.

Internet security researchers have long warned that flaws in Internet-facing desktop applications that sit behind a firewall present a lucrative target for malicious hackers.

The acknowledgement of security holes in Skype comes at a crucial time for the company, which counts about 60 million registered enterprise and consumer users.
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Filed under: Security - @ October 26, 2005 4:48 am