Skype 6.0 released for Mac, Windows desktop

Skype released its latest version, Skype 6.0, yesterday for Mac and Windows desktop users. 

In an official blog post, Skype has shared the changelog featuring in its latest version.

The update has brought to the table Microsoft and Facebook Account Integration. Users can now sign into Skype using either their Microsoft or Facebook accounts. In Skype 6.0, users can send instant messages to their Windows Live Messenger, Hotmail and Outlook.com contacts via Skype. Users with Microsoft accounts can merge the MS account with Skype. All they have to do is sign in to Skype with their Microsoft accounts.

Skype announces that it has in the pipeline a feature with which users can make audio and video calls to Windows Live Messenger customers on Skype desktop clients. The feature will be rolled out in the weeks to come. 

 

Skype 6.0 for Windows desktop users has been updated with new localised versions of Skype in Thai, Croatian, Slovenian, Serbian, Catalan, and Slovak languages. With this, the total number of languages that Skype supports has gone up to 38. Skype 6.0 has undergone a facelift on Windows desktop. The Skype user interface (UI) now bears a simpler and less cluttered look. Instant messaging and SMS areas have been refreshed as well. The online user counter at the bottom of the Skype Contacts list has been done away with for Windows desktop in a bid to unclutter the UI, offering more space for the user’s contacts in the list. Also, now if users want to change their profile pictures, they will be shown all their previous profile photos to choose from. 

The latest version Skype for Windows desktop users comes with additional 'opt-in' telemetry reports for users who choose this option: "Tools>> Options>>Advanced>>Tick Help improve Skype..." The reports may contain the user’s Skype ID and or Microsoft Account ID, but Skype clarifies that it will not use the information to identify or contact the user.

For Mac desktop users, the latest version of Skype brings open chats across multiple windows, while also introducing support for Retina Display. 

Earlier this month, users had started facing problems with ransomware on Skype through a seemingly harmless looking message: "lol is this your new profile pic?" The message was followed by a link that downloads malware into user's computers. According to Trend Micro, these reports have not stopped, and are now spreading fast.

The link, which includes the user name of the recipient, goes to a file hosted at a legitimate file locker service. The file downloaded is a variant of the Dorkbot malware family, which is detected as WORM_DORKBOT.DN. This malware allows an attacker to take complete control of the user’s system. Its capabilities include password theft form various websites, including pornographic sites, social media, file lockers, and financial services; and launching distributed denial-of-service (DDOS) attacks. The behaviour that a user may see can vary significantly. It also has the capability to download other malware depending on the link provided by the C and C servers, including ransomware and click fraud malware.