Analysis of Instant Messenger Programs

1
Analysis of Instant Messenger Programs

• Celia Hung and Nathan Miller
• ECE 478/578
• Department of Electrical Engineering
• Oregon State University

2
Introduction

• What is it??
• Features
• Instant Messaging
• IM Images
• Voice/Video Chat
• Game Request
• File Transfer
• Application Sharing/Remote Access

3
AOL Instant Messenger (AIM)

• 43.6 Million Users
• Features
• Instant Messaging
• IM Images
• Voice Chat
• Game Request
• File Transfer
• File Sharing
• FLAP and OSCAR
• Authentication Protocol

4
.NET Messenger

• 18.5 Million Users
• Features
• Instant Messaging
• Voice/Video Chat
• Application Sharing
• File Transfer
• Remote Assistance
• MSNP
• Authentication Protocol

5
ICQ (I Seek You)

• 7.2 Million Users
• Features
• Instant Messaging
• Voice/Video Chat
• File Transfer
• File Sharing
• FLAP and OSCAR
• Authentication Protocol

6
Yahoo! Messenger

• 11.9 Million Users
• Features
• Instant Messaging
• IM Images
• Voice Chat
• Game Request
• File Transfer
• File Sharing
• YMSG
• Authentication Protocol

7
Existing Security

• Blocking
• Ignoring
• Firewall
• Company Policy
• Warning
• Software

8
Vulnerabilities

• Worms
• Trojan Horses
• Hijacking
• Denial of Service
• Disclosure

9
Solutions

• Eliminate IM
• Stronger Cryptography/Software
• Trillian

10
References

• 1 Cyber-attacks Batter Web Heavyweights.
  www.cnn.com. February 2002.
• 2 Risk Eposure Through Instant Messaging and
  Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Networks. Internet Security
  Systems. April 2002.
• 3 SecureIM. www.trillian.cc
• 4 Dalton, Curtis E. and Kannengeisser, William.
  Instant Headache. Info Security Magazine.
  August 2002.
• 5 Gaudin, Sharon. Norton Antivirus Attacks
  Instant Messaging. www.instantmessaging.com.
  August 2002.
• 6 Grimes, Roger A. "IM Security Primer."
  www.secadministrator.com. May 2002.
• 7 Hindocha, Neal. Instant Insecurity Security
  Issues of Instant Messaging. www.securityfocus.co
  m. January 2003.
• 8 Hindocha, Neal. Threats to Instant
  Messaging. Symantec Security Response. January
  2003.
• 9 Hu, Jim. Worms Find Fertile Ground in IM.
  www.cnetnews.com. August 2001.
• 10 Shinder, Thomas. How to Block Dangerous
  Instant Messengers Using ISA Server.
  www.windowssecurity.com. July 2002.
• 11 Thorsberg, Frank. Is IM a Sieve for
  Corporate Secrets? www.pcworld.com. July 2002.
• 12 Varnosi, Robert. The Problem with Instant
  Messaging Apps at Work. www.cnet.com. August 2002