He said the Irving, Texas-based company has already altered its training program and procedures on the use of remote-control valves that can be used to shut down pipelines quickly when accidents occur.

NPR: APNewsBreak: $1.7M Penalty Proposed In Exxon Spill

"Skype is a nightmare for law-enforcement agencies" because of its encryption, says David Vincenzetti, chief executive of Milan-based HackingTeam, which sells a program called Remote Control System that works on computers, smartphones and Blackberries.

WSJ: Mideast Uses Western Tools to Battle the Skype Rebellion