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How safe is MSN Messenger? ....

  • 30-01-2006 7:20pm
    #1
    IvaBigWun
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭


    .......... when it comes to viruses?

    I read somewhere that it leaves a back door open to all sorts of shiite on your PC. I certainly remember Yahoo Messenger giving me serious grief a few years ago.

    Anyone have any problems?


Comments

  • #2
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 94,288 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    http://www.irma.ie
    52 million instant messages were also sent to the computers of illegal filesharers worldwide, warning them of the consequences if they continued breaking the law.


  • #3
    DonkeyRhubarb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 534 ✭✭✭DonkeyRhubarb


    If Im correct, hacking a computer is defined as the unauthorised movement of the needle on a hard drive. Im certain these people didnt authorise these messages. Does this not say something? Do as I say, not do as I do!


  • #4
    projectmayhem
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,480 ✭✭✭projectmayhem


    never had a problem with it. any sort of internet application like msn, aim, icq, mirc, etc. etc. are going to have some risks. but they're fairly minimal.


  • #5
    aidan_walsh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,208 ✭✭✭✭aidan_walsh


    DonkeyRhubarb wrote:
    If Im correct, hacking a computer is defined as the unauthorised movement of the needle on a hard drive. Im certain these people didnt authorise these messages. Does this not say something? Do as I say, not do as I do!
    Thats a lousy definition of hacking... Not to mention a crappy IM client you have.


  • #6
    testicle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,429 ✭✭✭testicle


    Some of these file sharing proggies have an IM facility.


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  • #7
    K.O.Kiki
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,899 ✭✭✭✭K.O.Kiki


    Weren't engineers of old called "hackers"?
    All they did was mess with hardware & try to get it to do stuff, and they got paid for it :DOf course, I could be wrong


  • #8
    mp3guy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,979 ✭✭✭mp3guy


    Not very, I recommend gaim

    http://gaim.sourceforge.net


  • #9
    rsynnott
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,003 ✭✭✭rsynnott


    DonkeyRhubarb wrote:
    If Im correct, hacking a computer is defined as the unauthorised movement of the needle on a hard drive. Im certain these people didnt authorise these messages. Does this not say something? Do as I say, not do as I do!

    You're not correct :)


  • #10
    Voodoo2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 493 ✭✭Voodoo2


    MSN Mesenger is fine and secure once you have it uptodate and patched using windows update, about 6-8 months ago there was a security loop hole that allowed the transfer of a virus that in turn sent it to all in your contacts list, like the e-mails one, so uptodate is the answer, or use Trillian or something if you are still unsure


  • #11
    IvaBigWun
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭IvaBigWun


    52 million instant messages were also sent to the computers of illegal filesharers worldwide, warning them of the consequences if they continued breaking the law.

    This doesnt really relate to my question to be honest.


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  • #12
    IvaBigWun
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭IvaBigWun


    Any more takes on this? Im still a bit cautious about these kind of programs.


  • #13
    seamus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 68,190 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    It's an easy enough one for spyware and viruses to propagate through. It's actually far easier to infect a person's machine by giving them a link to click than by trying to get in through a back door.

    Many spyware programs will hijack your MSN messenger and spam your mates with links.


  • #14
    steveland?
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,842 ✭✭✭steveland?


    A mate of mine has some virus that every time you open a window to her it sends a message telling me I can check who's blocked me by clicking on a block checker link...

    I won't put the link up here but if anyone gets that message don't click it...

    The virus was on the DCU computers for ages and a few people got it while talking to folks from DCU on the library computers through MSN Messenger


  • #15
    HungryJoey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,192 ✭✭✭HungryJoey


    steveland? wrote:
    A mate of mine has some virus that every time you open a window to her it sends a message telling me I can check who's blocked me by clicking on a block checker link...

    I won't put the link up here but if anyone gets that message don't click it...

    The virus was on the DCU computers for ages and a few people got it while talking to folks from DCU on the library computers through MSN Messenger

    Yeah I have experienced that one too :( Everytime I signed in I got 1 or 2 messages from people with the same link " Check who has blocked you ". Its gone now though, Havn't seen one in a while.

    Hj


  • #16
    TomCo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,528 ✭✭✭TomCo


    steveland? wrote:
    The virus was on the DCU computers for ages and a few people got it while talking to folks from DCU on the library computers through MSN Messenger

    Those library computers are a joke, I had to restrain myself from tossing one of those things when it crashed after I clicked the print button in Adobe.


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