Instant messaging, a faster and more direct form of e-mail that allows written conversations and file transfers, is growing faster than the Internet according to researchers. The speed and vigor of programs that make it perfect for a quick chat are also becoming attractive as ways to launch a quick attack, security analysts say.
And as the popularity of instant messaging grows, so does its attraction to malicious hackers, says MSN, for one.
"Computer viruses can be passed around in a variety of ways: via e-mail messages, on floppy disks, and increasingly, through messaging applications like MSN Messenger," it warned on Web site.
A spokeswoman said MSN was working with the anti-virus software community.
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