Survey: Instant Messaging Dangerous for Businesses
A joint survey performed by security experts from Infowatch and Russia's Securitylab points to the dangers that Instant Messengers (IM) can mean to enterprise communications structures.
The antivirus specialists investigated the potential risks of IM by means of an online survey. Some 1200 users responded to an online survey on the Securitylab.ru portal between May and June 2007. The majority of responders (61.3 percent) worked for companies with up to 100 computer workplaces, 22 percent for companies with between 101 and 500 workplaces, and 17 percent in larger enterprises with more than 500 workplaces.
The results of the survey revealed that the responders see disclosure of confidential information as the main risk for the enterprise. 43 percent see this as the biggest source of danger. Some 60 percent stated that they had never sent confidential information via IM channels. Malware and attacks on enterprise networks via client vulnerabilities were also seen as a major weakness.
If enterprises react at all to IM-related security risks, it is typically by blocking IM traffic; policies and monitoring are less common. Technical issues and resistance by staff are quoted as the main reason for not using these methods. Around half of all responders stated that their companies did not deploy any security.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Juno Computers Launches Another Linux Laptop
If you're looking for a powerhouse laptop that runs Ubuntu, the Juno Computers Neptune 17 v6 should be on your radar.
-
ZorinOS 17.1 Released, Includes Improved Windows App Support
If you need or desire to run Windows applications on Linux, there's one distribution intent on making that easier for you and its new release further improves that feature.
-
Linux Market Share Surpasses 4% for the First Time
Look out Windows and macOS, Linux is on the rise and has even topped ChromeOS to become the fourth most widely used OS around the globe.
-
KDE’s Plasma 6 Officially Available
KDE’s Plasma 6.0 "Megarelease" has happened, and it's brimming with new features, polish, and performance.
-
Latest Version of Tails Unleashed
Tails 6.0 is based on Debian 12 and includes GNOME 43.
-
KDE Announces New Slimbook V with Plenty of Power and KDE’s Plasma 6
If you're a fan of KDE Plasma, you'll be thrilled to hear they've announced a new Slimbook with an AMD CPU and the latest version of KDE Plasma desktop.
-
Monthly Sponsorship Includes Early Access to elementary OS 8
If you want to get a glimpse of what's in the pipeline for elementary OS 8, just set up a monthly sponsorship to help fund its continued existence.
-
DebConf24 to be Held in South Korea
Busan will be the location of the latest DebConf running July 28 through August 4
-
Fedora Unleashes Atomic Desktops
Fedora has combined its solid distribution with rpm-ostree system to make it possible to deliver a new family of Fedora spins, called Fedora Atomic Desktops.
-
Bootloader Vulnerability Affects Nearly All Linux Distributions
The developers of shim have released a version to fix numerous security flaws, including one that could enable remote control execution of malicious code under certain circumstances.