Is IM The Next Security Worry?

from the isn't-the-internet-fun? dept

A few weeks ago, a story circulated about some adware that was getting passed around via AOL's AIM instant messaging program. While people have talked about IM-based viruses and trojan horses, this seems to have really woken people up. Now, some are wondering if malicious program writers are going to start ditching email and focusing on IM instead. They point out that it may be harder to detect IM attacks, in part because it won't need to send out a flood of data to every possible address - but can simply send things to those who it knows are online via your buddy list. Of course, at this point, it seems like mostly speculation on how such a program would work, and I imagine it would still need some social engineering to get it to work - but people are inclined to click on links that their friends send them. Will the next new rule of internet usage be "don't click on links IM'd from friends"? Update: On cue... a story has come out about just such a worm making the rounds via ICQ users.

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