How To: Instant Messaging Security

This story was editorially selected as relevant and is used with permission from Symantec. PC World received no compensation for posting this article.

Educate employees and create corporate policies: An important first step in IM security is to learn about safe practices and how to incorporate them into your company policies. To protect your business and your employees, you should define appropriate uses of IM in the workplace and encourage precautionary measures such as not storing IM passwords on the computer.

• Install desktop antivirus and firewall programs: Since spam sent over IM typically requires users to download and open an attachment, security at the desktop level can guard against threats by blocking an attachment or cleaning an infected file. Install desktop firewalls to help protect individual machines from attacks from within an organization or through a LAN. Desktop firewalls are also good for those in a remote office or who handle sensitive data. You should also install desktop antivirus programs to provide a final line of defense against viruses, worms, and Trojan horses.
• Install and update IM patches: The major public IM networks frequently deploy IM patches in response to newly discovered vulnerabilities in their programs. You can help reduce the risk of attacks to your business' computers via IM by installing and updating IM patches regularly.
• Secure IM logs: Many IM programs automatically create and store logs of all conversations on a user's computer. Hackers can gain valuable information from these logs, including specific statements made during a conversation as well as business secrets discussed via IM. To safeguard the content of IM conversations, you should consider either storing them behind a corporate firewall or deleting the logs. Most public IM programs have a deletion option in the preferences section or in the log manager section.
• Use vulnerability management tools for compliance: You can install and use vulnerability management tools to gain an overview of IM software installed on employee machines. Using these tools, you can monitor whether employees have made any changes to their IM programs that violate corporate policies, as well as to make sure that desktop firewall and antivirus programs are being used properly.
• Install IM security tools: IM security tools span a variety of functions from capturing data sent over IM, to monitoring and tracking unusual IM behavior which may indicate misuse or virus-related security breaches. By installing IM security tools, you will have a more comprehensive, centralized solution to help manage IM usage within your company.
• Consider corporate IM servers and encryption: Following the suggestions above will help you and your employees use public IM networks in a secure manner. However, if you are planning to use IM for business communication, you should consider using corporate IM servers, which encrypt messages. In addition, corporate IM server software may also provide options to link external businesses such as suppliers or other business vendors for secure instant messaging.

You can use IM more safely by learning about the best practices and following the recommendations in this How To article. By taking a few precautionary steps now, you can protect your business from IM security threats and save your business time, money, and in some cases the business itself.

Originally released July 14, 2006

This story was editorially selected as relevant and is used with permission from Symantec. PC World received no compensation for posting this article.