IM security in a mess!

#109 I hate to go onto the IM bandwagon again but I just couldn't resist this one. I have stated the various issues and threats that will lead to IM becoming a real headache for security in a previous post, and thought that this information resource would be useful for you to keep tabs on this area of security.

The IMLogic Threat Center, a global consortium that provides threat detection and protection for IM and peer-to-peer (p-to-p) applications, recently issued its second quarter 2005 report on the rise of IM security threats. Launched with the support of the Internet security vendors Symantec, Sybari Software and McAfee and the IM providers America Online, Microsoft, and Yahoo, the IMlogic Threat Center is a knowledge base for known IM and p2p vulnerabilities and provides rapid response and guidance for protection against newly detected threats.

The report says there has been a "sharp" 2,747 percent increase in new IM threats -- including viruses, worms, SPIM (spam over IM), malware, and phishing attacks -- in second quarter 2005, compared with the same period a year ago. IMlogic also issued more than 15 priority alerts to enterprises and IMlogic Threat Center subscribers in second quarter 2005 in response to the increasing frequency of reported IM threats.