MSN Messenger Security Issues

[joe]

At home, our shared workstation is used by myself
for "mission critical"
business applications... and it is used by my kids (age
10 and 12) for
browsing the internet (semi-supervised; the computer room
door is always
open while they are on the internet,etc.)

Maybe its time to spring for a new machine for the kids
instead. Sounds like you can afford it.

>-----Original Message-----
>I am the partner responsible for the computer systems at
our business and
>am vehemently opposed to instant messenging (and chat
room access, etc.)
>on any mission-critical workstations or networks. I will
not allow it to
>be installed on our office network... and to date, touch
wood, we have
>never been infected by a virus, trojan, malicious code,
etc. We have
>indeed been fortunate due to my totally anal outlook on
installed
>software and on our dilligence.
>
>At home, our shared workstation is used by myself
for "mission critical"
>business applications... and it is used by my kids (age
10 and 12) for
>browsing the internet (semi-supervised; the computer
room door is always
>open while they are on the internet,etc.)
>
>Lately, I have been absolutely besieged to install MSN
Messenger Service
>which I finally relented and did this evening. Now I am
having some
>serious doubts as to exactly how wise a decision this
was. This is one
>SCAREY looking piece of software!
>
>Is there a white paper anywhere on the current security
issues with MSN
>Messenger? One thing that I would like to do for sure is
turn off the
>ability to receive file transfers. I can't see how it is
done.
>
>We are running Windows NT4 on this workstation (soon to
be upgraded to XP
>Pro when the workstation is replaced) and using
ZoneAlarm for firewall
>protection (soon to be replaced by a hardware firewall).
Running
>InoculateIT as well and it is always up to date and
running both in
>real-time and doing a drive scan nightly. I know enough
to ignore and
>delete unexpected file attachments.... the kids,
however... well, the
>kids are just kids.
>
>So.... any white papers on MSN Messenger Security? Any
opinions or
>experiences anyone would care to share with this worried
dad? Thanks in
>advance.
>
>MDL
>
>.
>

[M.D. Lampert]

We actually have 3 desktops at home. We have thus far limited internet
access to ONE workstation only, for several reasons, not the least of
which is that this particular workstation is on the ground floor of our
home and (with the office door open) we can supervise what is going on,
what they are viewing and whom they are conversing with. This workstation
uses a cable modem connection to the internet.

The other two workstations are upstairs in the bedrooms and not
"supervisable" easily.

Having said that... it is not a big deal to bring one downstairs and have
it set aside for the kids to access the internet.

Are you suggesting that MSN Messenger makes the workstation sufficiently
vulnerable so as to require a seperate system/connection to the internet?
(I have no problem with that... I just need to know).

Thanks for your prompt response and for your candor.

MDL



>
>Maybe its time to spring for a new machine for the kids
>instead. Sounds like you can afford it.
>

[joe]

I'm just saying that if you have mission critical
applications that maybe it would be best to have them on
an isolated machine as god knows what the kids are going
to do, where they will go and what they will install much
less what they might deliberately or accidentally throw
away or destroy. Messenger isn't going to help matters
much either. I just think that you should have a
separate machine that is heavily firewalled that the kids
don't use or have access to and give them one that you
figure you are going to periodically be reformatting!
Have it share the internet connection but not the ms
network.
>-----Original Message-----
>We actually have 3 desktops at home. We have thus far
limited internet
>access to ONE workstation only, for several reasons, not
the least of
>which is that this particular workstation is on the
ground floor of our
>home and (with the office door open) we can supervise
what is going on,
>what they are viewing and whom they are conversing with.
This workstation
>uses a cable modem connection to the internet.
>
>The other two workstations are upstairs in the bedrooms
and not
>"supervisable" easily.
>
>Having said that... it is not a big deal to bring one
downstairs and have
>it set aside for the kids to access the internet.
>
>Are you suggesting that MSN Messenger makes the
workstation sufficiently
>vulnerable so as to require a seperate system/connection
to the internet?
>(I have no problem with that... I just need to know).
>
>Thanks for your prompt response and for your candor.
>
>MDL
>
>
>
>>
>>Maybe its time to spring for a new machine for the kids
>>instead. Sounds like you can afford it.
>>
>
>.
>

[M.D. Lampert]

Point well taken and it is a very attractive option that I am leaning
heavily towards.
ML


In article >, says...
>
>
>I'm just saying that if you have mission critical
>applications that maybe it would be best to have them on
>an isolated machine as god knows what the kids are going
>to do, where they will go and what they will install much
>less what they might deliberately or accidentally throw
>away or destroy. Messenger isn't going to help matters
>much either. I just think that you should have a
>separate machine that is heavily firewalled that the kids
>don't use or have access to and give them one that you
>figure you are going to periodically be reformatting!
>Have it share the internet connection but not the ms
>network.
>>-----Original Message-----
>>We actually have 3 desktops at home. We have thus far
>limited internet
>>access to ONE workstation only, for several reasons, not
>the least of
>>which is that this particular workstation is on the
>ground floor of our
>>home and (with the office door open) we can supervise
>what is going on,
>>what they are viewing and whom they are conversing with.
>This workstation
>>uses a cable modem connection to the internet.
>>
>>The other two workstations are upstairs in the bedrooms
>and not
>>"supervisable" easily.
>>
>>Having said that... it is not a big deal to bring one
>downstairs and have
>>it set aside for the kids to access the internet.
>>
>>Are you suggesting that MSN Messenger makes the
>workstation sufficiently
>>vulnerable so as to require a seperate system/connection
>to the internet?
>>(I have no problem with that... I just need to know).
>>
>>Thanks for your prompt response and for your candor.
>>
>>MDL
>>
>>
>>
>>>
>>>Maybe its time to spring for a new machine for the kids
>>>instead. Sounds like you can afford it.
>>>
>>
>>.
>>