Security of the internet-based instant messenger: Risks and safeguards

Purpose - To identify controls that can harness the power and capabilities of instant messengers (IM) while minimizing potential security risks. Design/methodology/approach - A risk analysis method and (CIS)² model are used. Findings - IM is a great tool for enterprise productivity. However, it has so many risks, but one could identify and control these risks with technical and managerial countermeasures. Research limitations/implications - This paper fails to provide detailed and specific risks of commercial IMs, and the case study provided in this paper focuses on the technical rather than managerial issues. Practical implications - A very helpful case study which provides general risks and controls of recent IMs for the security officers of various organizations. Originality/value - This paper outlined the risks of IM and potential controls for securing public IM in the workplace.