Gartner Research

Instant Messaging Security: It's Not Just Idle Chatter

Published: 05 June 2007

ID: G00203298

Analyst(s): Diana Kelley

Summary

Instant messaging (IM) is becoming a critical business communication channel. As enterprises increase and formalize the usage of IM for business purposes they also have to address security concerns related to the use of IM. This includes review of IM usage via both public (e.g., AOL Instant Messenger [AIM] and Google Talk) and enterprise (e.g., IBM Lotus Sametime and Microsoft Office Live Communications Server) platforms. Organizations must keep the IM channel free from malware and, in many cases, monitor, manage, and archive IM data.

Table Of Contents

Synopsis

Analysis

  • Instant Messaging: From Personal to Professional
  • Risks and IM Security
    • Policy Violations
    • Lost Business: Loss of Availability
    • Regulatory and Compliance Exposures
    • Malware Infection and Spam over IM (SPIM)
    • Loss of Protected Data
    • Failure to Archive Sensitive Communications
  • Mitigating the IM Risks
    • Application Control
    • Authentication
    • Access Control within IM
    • Content Control and Keyword Filtering
    • Malware and URL Filtering
    • Policy Reminders
    • Encryption
    • Reflection
    • Logging and Archiving
    • Reporting
  • IM System: Public or Enterprise?
  • Architectural Options for IM
    • Example Architecture: IM Security Gateway
    • Example Architecture: IM Security Managed Service
    • Example Architecture: Agent-Based IM Security
  • Market Impact
    • EIM Takes Hold
    • IM Security Remains an Add-On
    • Future Directions
  • Recommendations
    • Assess IM for the Enterprise: Is It Time?
    • Formalize IM Policy
    • Determine What Parts of the Policy Will Be Enforced Technically
    • Client and Inter-Communication Choices
    • Review the Architectural Options
    • Create an Archive Strategy

The Details

  • XMPP and SIP
  • The Vendors
    • Enterprise IM
    • IM Security Gateways
    • Other: Services and Agent

Conclusion

Notes

Burton Group References

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