Understanding Instant Messaging (IM) and its security risks

Instant messaging is very popular in consumer sector. However, it has yet to be used widely in the commercial sector as e-mail is currently used. The major drawback has been the vulnerabilities associated with IM technology. These vulnerabilities have created several security issues. The security issues have made organizations think before exploiting IM technology. This paper provides an overview of IM technology. It discusses vulnerabilities of IM and related security issues. This paper also provides an insight in to the considerations an enterprise should give during the implementation of IM technology and related products.