Feature List Leaked for Microsoft's Next IM Version
Microsoft's next version of its instant messenger
application will have a security feature to report
users who send unsolicited messages, among other
things.
Jeremy Kirk, IDG News Service
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.
Other new features Liveside said will be in version
9.0 include:
-- Animated .GIF files can be used in the display
photo area.
-- Allows users to associate a specific sound with an
action performed by one of their contacts.
-- URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) can be clicked on
in the status area.
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