Oct 31 2006
Looks like it’s a good time to be talking about IM security
I guess the Security Round Table conversation on Instant Messaging was pretty timely: IM attacks are growing at an incredible rate and shows no sign of slowing down.
Just out of curiousity, how are your businesses handling this threat? Are they A) installing proxies, B) Blocking it as well as they can or C) Ignoring it, hoping it will go away? I’m not going to set up one of those fancy polling solutions, just leave me a comment. This is, after all, a very unscientific poll.
Technorati Tags: security, McKeay, Instant Messaging
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(A) We just installed our proxies earlier this month, but only because our Compliance dept drove the requirement (Rule 17a-4). Past security warnings/requirements were ignored… but atleast we’re protected.
We installed an IRC server internally that employees can use to chat with one another (and fully disclose to them that everything they write is logged). As for the popular IM services, we block the protocols and known website solutions as well as prevent end users from installing the software in the first place.
We block all forms of IM at our firewalls, using ACLs, URL filtering (for web-based IM), and our IPS signatures.
IM was a tricky beast to lock down, but we finally managed to cover it with all those layers.
My concern with IM was its use as a vector for attack, as well as the ability to transfer sensitive files out of our network to another location.