Secure IM’s: Not in the Mainstream

We tend to take our privacy online for granted.  We assume that when we enter into a private chat on AIM (or any public IM service) that the information will stay where we it.  That can be a false assumption.  There are a few ways the conversation can become public:

• A loose lipped friend shares it either by copy and paste or by email.
• Keylogging software is on one of the systems being used to chat.
• The IM’s server is breached.

As you may have noticed these are in order from most to least likely.  No matter which one you fall prey to, the solution is still the same.

Don’t put it in writing unless it is ok for public consumption.