Demand for instant messaging security skills rises as use doubles
- Posted:
- 14:12 29 Mar 2005
- Topics:
- Instant Messaging
Analysts predict mainstream acceptance
of IM from 2006
What is it?
Instant messaging allows messages to be exchanged electronically in
real time between two or more people. Unlike a dial-up system such
as the telephone, it requires that all parties be logged onto their
service at the same time. According to the European Association for
E-Business, the number of instant messaging users within
organisations is likely to double this year to 80 million
worldwide.
Some firms have incorporated instant messaging into their
communications infrastructures and some are trialling it. Some have
no plans to deploy instant messaging, but unofficial use is rife.
Without a policy, holes are opened into which worms can crawl and
out of which corporate information can leak.
Microsoft, IBM, Sun and Novell all have instant messaging
applications, and there is demand for people with the skills to
implement secure instant messaging and to extend the applications
into conferencing and "presence" activities.
Where did it originate?
In 1996 Israeli company Mirabilis created ICQ (I seek you), the
first commercial instant messaging application. Software suppliers
and service providers such as AOL and Yahoo offered their own.
Mergers and collaborations followed - AOL took over ICQ, and is
working with Macromedia, but interoperability has been slow: AOL's
Instant Messenger is now compatible with ICQ.
Standards include Simple (Session Initiation Protocol for Instant
Messaging and Presence Leveraging Extensions) and XMPP (Extensible
Messaging and Presence Protocol), formerly known as Jabber.
What is it for?
Public instant messaging networks are open to anyone and security
is minimal. Private instant messaging networks can be managed,
secured and integrated and provide an audit trail. Users can choose
a level of presence from fully available to do-not-disturb.
Analyst firm Ovum said instant messaging can be used at three
levels:
- As a form of communication
- As a presence application that publishes the current status of participants in the network
- As a rich collaborative framework in which people can interact more rapidly.
What makes it special?
Instant messaging provides a real-time dimension to activities such
as calendaring. Content-rich applications are emerging, such as
AOL's joint venture with Macromedia.
Instant messaging increasingly supports file transfer, presenting
similar risks to e-mail. Firewalls need to be reconfigured and
anti-virus practices extended. Suppliers such as Sophos and
SurfControl offer remedies for viruses and inappropriate
traffic.
How difficult is it to master?
Installing and configuring instant messaging takes half a day on a
typical five-day Microsoft Exchange course.
Where is it used?
The technology is immature and early adopters are
outnumbered by the cautious. Some financial organisations use it
for real-time communication between traders; others ban it for fear
of breaches. Analysts predict mainstream acceptance from
2006.
What systems does it run on?
Alternatives to the big-name systems include Kopete, which supports
AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo, Jabber, Novell Groupwise Messenger and Lotus
Sametime. Gaim can log in to multiple accounts on instant messaging
networks simultaneously.
What is coming up?
Instant messaging/mobile phone interoperability.
Rates of pay
Installation and support posts pay from £20,000. Messaging specialists with security skills can look for £40,000 and upwards.
Training
You can download a version of the Exchange messaging software development kit. Jabber downloads and tutorials are also available. O'Reilly and Pearson publish guides to developing and securing instant messaging apps.
