Infoworld: Enterprise IM: Dangerous by default

August 30 2004

Infoworld recently reviewed instant messaging add-on products that focus on public IM products.  In this sidebar article, they talk about security needs for corporate instant messaging, and say:

If there's a security ideal for enterprise IM, IBM Lotus Instant Messaging and Web Conferencing would come close. Its client/server communications has strong 128-bit encryption, users are authenticated through an LDAP or Domino server, and chat with those who use third-party IM software that supports SIP is protected through SSL.
Link: Infoworld: Enterprise IM: Dangerous by default >

Ed Brill | Highland Park, IL USA Category:  In the news  Add/View Comments [9]

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  1. 1  Christopher Byrne http://www.controlscaddy.com/ | 8/30/2004 1:41:50 PM

    See my related posting from early August:

    "Corporate Instant Messaging: Can the Risks Be Managed to Support a Business Objective?"

    { Link }

  1. 2  Carl http://www.iminstant.com | 8/30/2004 1:48:43 PM

    Totally agree, it's why we made a business decision not to do Instant TeamMessenger for Office and Outlook for AOL, Yahoo etc. Enterprise customers will eventually realise they are a risk. You know my suggestions for IBM making more noise around this and telling the world a solution exists, and it's a great solution that just needs a bit more focus :-)

  1. 3  David Richardson  | 8/30/2004 2:49:14 PM

    The title of the Infoworld article seems off the mark to me - I would prefer "Networks: Hostile By Default". The real culprit here is MS Windows' immature concept of 'trustworthy' and 'untrustworthy' zones on a network, a relic of LAN-only environments. In a world of out-sourcing and corporate specialization, cross-organizational boundary collaboration (read messaging) is the norm.

    Having said that, Lotus Notes does a very good job providing a safe island when one is forced to use Windows in a collaborative environment. This extends far beyond simple chat functions.

    Question for Ed: Does the Defense Messaging System (I think that is what it was called) still exist? Isn't that what the CIA used (uses)?

  1. 4  Ed Brill www.edbrill.com | 8/30/2004 4:03:47 PM

    DMS still exists...but I know absolutely nothing about it. Maybe someone else does...

  1. 5  Paul Mooney http://www.pmooney.net | 8/30/2004 4:06:17 PM

    This is a very strong point for LIM. Talking about SIP still gets very confused faces of customers, but its day is (rapidly) coming. Lotus have the strategic advantage with instant messaging and should really leverage SIP in the future.

    Theres a point - what about a session on SIP at Lotusphere?

  1. 6  Ed Brill www.edbrill.com | 8/30/2004 4:07:47 PM

    good thought... I think we did one at LS04 at least as part of a session...

    I've herad that IBM is planning to deploy a SIP gateway next quarter to connect to customers :)

  1. 7  Declan Lynch  | 8/31/2004 7:23:22 AM

    Or maybe a SIP inter-connect would be an interesting future venture for somebody with the resources and bandwidth where customer a and customer B can connect to a central SIP system and then if customer c comes along they can elect to join the SIP gateway also.

  1. 8  Carl http://www.iminstant.com | 8/31/2004 7:54:00 AM

    This is GREAT news on IBM setting up the SIP gateway!!!!

    Way to go!

    See I can say positive things :-)

  1. 9  Paul Mooney http://www.pmooney.net | 8/31/2004 10:38:50 AM

    Hmmm, a central gateway that houses SIP connections between companies.... "communication on-demand" logo springs to mind.