User guide

65
PROTECTING INSTANT MESSENGERS
TRAFFIC
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 (see page 107). To do so, 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 IM Anti-Virus settings, please do the following:
1. Open the main application window and click the Settings link in the top part of the window.
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.
IN THIS SECTION:
Component operation algorithm ...................................................................................................................................... 65
Creating a protection scope ............................................................................................................................................. 66
Selecting the scan method .............................................................................................................................................. 66
Using heuristic analysis ................................................................................................................................................... 67