Unknown Internet Activity

Using Skype permanently is a very contoversial issue. As peering network without central server this program always try to find out a fast free channels to use its for providing traffic routing that's why some of corporations are banning use skype at all.

As user of linux I had found that this program sniffs my firefox history. I do believe it's only for good goals but I do not think that everyone could share my tolerance.

I would suggest you to use redirection service of coming calls to your mobile (as I did) to be always online either voice mail. So run skype when you really need it.

It's really good service I was using one since 2004, but we have to be careful being online always.

Good luck, hope cr4 community will add more valuable info about that.

I have the same problem....

and I traced it down using 'taskmanager' to a few antivirus and antispyware programs, as well as Skype and many other programs all checking for updates or reporting in to 'base' others such as Microsoft automatic updates are a pain as well...

Nothing much you can do about them except to schedule software to do a scan at certain times when you're not using the computer...

Its a real pain when after you've waited 10 minutes for the damn machine to boot up and sort it self out ready for work... and then the microsoft pop up says

'windows needs to restart to update itself'

ARRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

John

Along microsoft packages a lot of others used to check out whether OS is online to

offer for updating or somewhat like (sometimes without any suggestions).

You said that you've noticed a lot of activity. What kind of "instruments" have you applied for your conclusion? Is it software for accurate traffic metering either it was your subjective observation for instance a diagram of connection log?

Do you use some the kind of software like IM (icq, MSN, jabber etc)? Antivirus programs like to update their DBs and routines as well.

Of course risk of malware activity shouldn't be disregarded , but if your system is working fine I think here is nothing for a great worries about for a while. Time will show!

Just for comparative test to your suspicions I would offer you to get so called Live-CD(DVD) with Knoppix or Ubuntu. Boot your system from this CD then connect to inet and check out for a day whether it makes a difference in "traffic eating". It is absolutely safe and these CDs consist of all most popular software, skype including.

Thanks for the good answer.

When I usually see this, I am only able to (1) look at 'status' of the connection showing me that there is a flow of 'sends' and 'receives', and (2) the 'task manager' showing me CPU usage. Except in very rare instances, there is nothing remarkable happening with CPU usage, even when the 'send / receive' seems quite high.

Is there any way to 'peek' at what is being transacted, in something I might recognise?

I had been running Skype for a while, but got fed up with a slow PC. After investigation I found out that Skype regularly uses up 100% of CPU, even when not using it. It uses your PC as a router in its network, so for security reasons I decides to get rid of it.

I uninstalled it, got faster PC in return, but kept an eye on processes. Then found out that MSN Messenger caused the same problem, so got rid of it either.

Now I use online messaging services only. (ebuddy and the like).

Hi,

An interesting report from you, and I will take it to heart, but IP telephony has become such an important part of my life, I'm not sure how to replace it. I live 8,000 miles from my kids and any other form of telephony would make me go broke in a short time. (hmmm, on the other hand, with out it they couldn't call to complain and ask for money )

As for IM products, I don't use any of them ... no time to 'chat' ... except on CR4 .

Thanks for your help.

Skype is surveilled by NSA because is an international communication. I noticed a significant increase of activity after NSA screening of all international communications commenced.

on top of CPU usage, have you seen how bloted some programs in the memory column, just to do simple things like textual chat and the like?

At the moment on this computer

Yahoo Closed = 33,040K - Open 44,512K

msmsgs = 8,228K (Vers 4.7)

Its no wonder memory like 128M and 512M are pointless these days

I'm not sure about monitoring on a Windoze box, but do a Google Search for "Packet Sniffers" or on sourceforge.net

I run a Linux firewall at home, and its current load average is about almost zero (well until it gets mail in.... (and WOW alot of SPAM)

I am just a user of PCs but a big industrial computer geek.

I think the activity you see are " audits " being done by sites you ahev visited, by marketing sites looking at your history and by "big brother".

Hi. Maybe not quite a reason to be much worried about.

I use free ZoneAlarm (can not afford paid version). In a sense I could somehow know and control programs (or services) trying to "act" via LAN or Internet, except ZA itself.

Mishka.

Hi DCaD,

are you connected to the land-line by Wi-Fi, wireless router etc?

Do you still get the noise when connected directly to the 'BT' line by hard-wire with a 'normal' phone?

As you know any noise on the phone is not necessarily an intrusion. It could be a neighbour on the same frequency as yourself. Is it possible to change your frequency if this is the case?

babybear