David Geer Talks Tech
Monday, August 29, 2005
Home User IM Safety Courtesy of http://www.GeerCom.com.
Geer Communications - your on time technology writer!Welcome!
I recently wrote about instant messaging for Computerworld magazine. I discussed the pitfalls of IM and its security risks.
Home users may want to know that even having an IM program on your computer can make it easier for hackers and viruses to get in.
Hackers can hack buddy lists; IM worms can send countless Spam messages (SPIM in the case of IM Spam) to all your buddies, too. Hackers can take control of your computer, their computers, simply because you have IM.
If you have IM and don't use it, uninstall the program. Go to Start, Programs and find the folder for that program. If there is an Uninstall program for it, open it and follow the prompts. If not, go to Start, Settings, Control Panel, the Add/Remove Programs applet, and highlight the program and remove it.
If you use IM, contact the maker's technical support about how to do the following for your version of IM to secure it.
Make sure you're not publishing your ID on the web.
Make sure you're not open to receiving messages from people not on your buddy list.
Set up the internal Proxy service that most IM programs have.
And, make sure you never accept messages from people you don't know and don't accept any attachment that you have not requested from a known party.
Best,
David Geer - your on time technology writer!
Geer Communications
Geer Communications - your on time technology writer!Welcome!
I recently wrote about instant messaging for Computerworld magazine. I discussed the pitfalls of IM and its security risks.
Home users may want to know that even having an IM program on your computer can make it easier for hackers and viruses to get in.
Hackers can hack buddy lists; IM worms can send countless Spam messages (SPIM in the case of IM Spam) to all your buddies, too. Hackers can take control of your computer, their computers, simply because you have IM.
If you have IM and don't use it, uninstall the program. Go to Start, Programs and find the folder for that program. If there is an Uninstall program for it, open it and follow the prompts. If not, go to Start, Settings, Control Panel, the Add/Remove Programs applet, and highlight the program and remove it.
If you use IM, contact the maker's technical support about how to do the following for your version of IM to secure it.
Make sure you're not publishing your ID on the web.
Make sure you're not open to receiving messages from people not on your buddy list.
Set up the internal Proxy service that most IM programs have.
And, make sure you never accept messages from people you don't know and don't accept any attachment that you have not requested from a known party.
Best,
David Geer - your on time technology writer!
Geer Communications
