Microsoft will focus on spam in instant messaging
Microsoft’s next version of its instant messenger application will have a new security feature to report users who send unsolicited messages, known as SPIM (spam over IM). That’s one of several new features in Windows Live Messenger 9.0, which was released to some private beta testers on Tuesday, according to Liveside.net, a site that focuses on Microsoft’s Live brand of Web-based applications. The problem with SPIM is that it’s annoying and, at worst, dangerous. The tricky part is that the hacker may have obtained someone’s IM account details, so it appears that a genuine contact is sending the messages. After compiling a list of IM contacts, hackers try to trick users into clicking links. Those links can often launch an unwanted installation of spyware or other malware via a browser vulnerability or other security hole.
Further details on Microsoft’s reporting tool were not available. However, other IM products on the market use reporting tools to compile blacklists of known IM spammers in order to block them. Liveside published other new details of Messenger 9.0 on Wednesday but then deleted the post on Thursday. It wasn’t entirely clear why the site decided to delete the post, but it could be retrieved via Google’s cache. Liveside said other new features include the ability to stay signed into the application from several computers, called Multiple Points of Presence Support. In the previous 8.5 version, users are automatically signed out of the application if they log in to the application on a new machine. I haven’t received anything like that in years but I guess it’s a good thing that Microsoft cares about MSN users…
Source: Computerworld
I dont have any spam problems with msn personally
Multiple Points of Presence Support sounds abit silly to me, i mean u can only be in one place at a time, i cant think of a situation where this would be useful.
It still nice to have to option, and sometimes ive got both my laptop and desktop running, and im moving between the two in different rooms… it would work nicely
the main problem is that the programmers cannot do anything they wanna do so spammers will have full power to do whatever they wanna do.
cheers,
uksponger
http://tinyurl.com/2hrkv4
It would want to be better than the Junk Email folder in Windows (Vista) Mail. It’s worthless. I spend more time undeleting what it’s caught than save time doing the opposite. Gmail’s on the other hand is perfect.
@2
Since they are adding more and more useless features, I totally agree. I know it’s for lifeless people (cf. @3) but anyway thank God there are patches to remove this cr_p
Can I get this beta from somewhere?
Whats happened to NT forums m@ster or do you care more for this site now?
Check http://mess.be for the latest updates at all times, they’re usually the first ones to get ahold of and post news and updates about MSN. No beta for download yet.
i wish i still had the installer for the Live Messenger Beta 9.
if i find it i will post a link here if it even works
*yawn*
it’s about time, i’m sick of idiots going to those websites that say “i found your picture on the net, click here to see it” cr*p!
This should stop the most common ones at least.
This whole windows live thing is just a joke, This is exactly what mac and google offers, and yahoo use to before pulling photo support. It doesn’t seem like Microsoft even cares if they have competitors, they just do things at their leisure, and how they want. Yet honestly, how many people use one or multiple IM systems. Everyone now just uses a mix, mostly Trillian or Ichat a Gaim and so on…
Speak for yourself Doctor, the truth is 75% of net users are ignorant to those apps.
my application to WL messenger 9 is still pending =/
Doctor,
Why would I use more than one ever? MSN is what everyone uses so that’s all I have.
In canada anyway.
I guess in the states there’s AOL or some garbage like that, and if you’re somehow in the past but still reading this site maybe you’re using ICQ or Yahoo!.
Windows Live is the only messenger anyone should be using anyway. It’s simple, it’s preloaded on every windows machine, there’s basic versions (Windows Messenger), normal versions (Windows Live), and there’s Plus! out there for the advanced people if they need it.
The multi-point-sign-in thing is useful to me because I dont log off of my account. I just leave it on all the time whether I’m there or not. I’m assuming this service will migrate the open windows to the second sign in location, so if I’ve gotten any messages on my computer at home, and I open my MSN up when I reach my sister’s place a few hours away, I’ll have anything I missed. Then when I’m done I haven’t signed my other computer out and it’ll go back to just being on.
Nobody uses email so this is fine by me.