Instant Messenger based security attacks becoming popular

Instant Messenger based security attacks becoming popular

A research study released by security firm IMLogic says that the hack attempts through the popular instant messengers is growing rapidly. The hackers and writers of malicious code for security breach are increasingly recognizing the popularity of this medium of getting into computers and are becoming active.

The number of recognized IM attacks through this medium has increased from 20 for all of 2004 to 571 in the second quarter of 2005 alone. This is a security threat, which affects both home and corporate users considering the wide usage of IM clients to stay in touch with each other. IMLogic Threat Center did this study in collaboration with other companies like Symantec, McAfee, and Sybari, as well as IM leaders America Online, Yahoo, and Microsoft and claims that 70% of all attacks through this medium targets public IM networks. Rest are attempted upon the corporate users of messaging solutions.

IMlogic Chief Executive Officer and cofounder Francis deSouza said in a statement: “IM usage has reached critical mass, and virus writers have now recognized it as a mostly undefended medium. These are mutating, high-velocity, and invisible to most companies until they hit. All these factors combine to create a serious risk.”

Many security firms including IMLogic, ZoneAlarm, Akonix Systems, and Trend Micro provide solutions for this medium and the popularity of such applications is bound to increase in the coming days.