Worms, viruses
Date: November 07, 2006Source: ameinfo.com
The fact that a compatible client is all that's needed for an IM session means new prominence for IM as a target of attacks.
'Scamming for information is as old as gossip,' explains Justin Doo, regional director, Middle East and North Africa. 'Now it is technology that defines how it is done. These days, phishing for credit card details or log-in access has moved from the most common technologies - such as e-mail and Web pages - to Instant Messaging.'
The first noted IM worm, WORM_CHOKE.A, automatically sent itself as an attachment to whoever initiated a chat session with an infected user. Recent Trend Micro research shows that there are now between 90 and 100 different malware variants that spread via IM.
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