Is MSN a security risk to business?

[alebox20]

Hi.

When a company decide to allow the MSN to its users, what are the risks in terms of security?

tks

 

[Grenage]

It's another way users can transfer files in or out of the company. I suspect MSN uses different ports for messaging and transfers, so you could probably block this off.

It's another piece of internet-accessible software. I suppose you just have to weight up the pros and the cons. Would you benefit at all from having it?

Carlsberg don't run I.T departments, but if they did they'd probably be more fun.

 

[Hondy]

as well as being a vector for worms and viruses, no real way of maintaining latest messenger versions, distraction from work, potentially, unmonitored communications, not blockable using a firewall on its own, it has games on it.

You can control it to a degree but if you allow it, do you also allow Yahoo, AIM etc to talk to other companies that doen't use MSN etc.

If you can trust the end users its not so bad but even then there is a risk, as Grenage says, it depends on the risks you are willing to take.

There are corporate messenger services that are more controllable too, but standard MSN is not easy to control on its own.

Cheers

 

[NoCalAdmin]

the risk wasw deemed to great in our place of business and it is blocked by our content filters.......

Tom