Hackers Show Skype is not Business Class Video Conferencing

The Syrian Electronic Army (SEA) recently announced they hacked several social media platforms including Skype now owned and operated by Microsoft the worlds number one target for hackers for the purpose of mining data and selling this information. 

While many companies have embraced or as we call it "adopted" video conferencing as a preferred method of communication over the "dinosaur" aka. "telephone" or "web conference" many have not. The largest video conferencing provider of business to consumer / freeware services is Skype. With hundreds of millions of active users across the globe Skype has been embraced by small and medium sized businesses as well which is not what it was meant to be. 

Companies like easymeeting provide business class services with security features and a greater focus on the user experience than Skype. However the penetration of Skype into the business market due to cost and adoption in the business to consumer market with regard to security is alarming. While not every small business can afford or is willing to afford $200.00 a month plus for business class services the overall cost on the small business with one "hack" or "data attack" can be in the thousands of dollars or more if one considers security, re-designing of network, monies taken from company accounts etc… in the end is the $200.00 a month worth it or is the "free risk" of using and "hoping" nothing happens a better investment? 

Skype and FaceTime have done a great job in educating the market on video conferencing services. Now it is time for businesses to start adopting to a paid -business class service which in the end like insurance…will pay off.  Everyone needs that security blanket. My business for one is one that does not want to risk having the SEA empty my account or experiencing a "Target" like data breach.

Things to Consider with Video Conferencing

1. Ease of Use - User Experience
2. Support & Help
3. Does it communicate with other video conferencing services, systems?
4. Can we scale (grow)
5. The ROI  (price vs return)
6. What do I need to do to learn to use? or Does the provider offer this?
7. Security & Business Class (quality, support)