MSN.Messenger

description-logo Description

This indicates detection of MSN Messenger/Windows Live Messenger data traffic.
Windows Live Messenger (formerly named MSN Messenger) is a popular instant messaging program that provides text, voice and video messaging as well as file transfer services. This presents security problems since it can be used to transfer potentially malicious data that will circumvent the firewall protection.

affected-products-logoAffected Products

MSN Messenger
Windows Live Messenger

Impact logoImpact

There are several general security concerns about Instant Messengers (IM):
IM clients can expose the user IP address to outsiders. Attackers can penetrate a corporate network by first attacking users who remotely access the corporate VPN from home.
Although most companies have AntiVirus software in place to scan email messages, such protection does not apply to IM file transfers. A virus, such as W32/Hello, can spread via IM file transfers.
IM is often used by attackers to communicate among each other, and to control systems with backdoors installed.
Messages sent via most IM clients are clear text, which can also be misused.

Technology

Browser-Based, Network-Protocol, Client-Server, Peer-to-Peer, Cloud-Based, Mobile-Device