Kaspersky Internet Security 2010

Besides the additional features for comfortable Internet surfing, instant messaging clients (further referred to as IM clients), which have widely spread nowadays, have caused potential threats to computer security. Messages that contain URLs to suspicious websites and those used by intruders for phishing attacks may be transferred using IM clients. Malicious programs use IM clients to send spam messages and URLs to the programs (or the programs themselves), which steal users' ID numbers and passwords.

The IM Anti-Virus component is designed to ensure safe operation of IM clients. It protects the information that comes to your computer via IM protocols. The product ensures safe operation of various applications for instant messaging, including ICQ, MSN, AIM, Yahoo! Messenger, Jabber, Google Talk, and others.

The Yahoo! Messenger and Google Talk applications use the SSL protocol. In order for IM Anti-Virus to scan the traffic of these applications, it is necessary to use the encrypted connections scan. To do it, check the Scan encrypted connections box in the Network section.

Traffic is scanned based on a certain combination of settings. If threats are detected in a message, IM Anti-Virus substitutes this message with a warning message for the user. Your IM traffic protection level is determined by a group of settings. The settings can be broken down into the following groups:

• Settings creating the protection scope;
• Settings determining the scan methods.

To edit the IM Anti-Virus settings, please perform the following:

1. Open the main application window and in the top part click the Settings link.
2. In the window that will open, in the Protection section select the IM Anti-Virus component.
3. Make the required changes in the settings of the component selected.

It loads at the startup of operating system and runs in your computer's RAM, scanning all incoming and outgoing messages. By default, protection of IM clients' traffic is carried out using the algorithm described below:

1. Each message received or sent by the user is intercepted by the component.
2. IM Anti-Virus scans the message for dangerous objects or URLs listed in databases of suspicious and/or phishing web addresses.
3. If a threat is detected, message text will be substituted with a warning message for the user. If no security threats are detected in the message, it becomes operable for the user.