IM at Work, Part 1: Idle Chatter, Serious Risk
A recent monthly Instant Messaging Threat Watch by security firm Akonix tracked 20 malicious code attacks over IM networks during the month of May, bringing the 2007 total to 170 threats. The number of security threats associated with unmanaged instant messaging during work hours is steadily increasing. On average, at least one IM attack occurs per day.
Consumer-grade instant messaging applications such as Yahoo Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) and Windows Live Messenger can become significant security holes when used by workers on corporate networks.
Instant messaging applications are easy targets for hackers taking advantage of vulnerabilities. It is critical for businesses to pay attention to their employees' use of instant messaging during work hours, warn security pros.
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