security risks

im just curious on the security risks of windows live messenger is it
possible for a user to install a keyloger on your machine just by
communicating with this person. Or do they have to send you a file. How
secure is my password? How secure is using it in general. I don't want to
potenionally give out private information or have my machine compromised is
it safe?

Greetings,

No. There are no known exploits in Messenger that allow anyone to do anything on your PC
without you accepting and executing whatever they're sending you.

Authentication is done using standard SSL (same as your bank, etc. on the web).

Actual conversations however are not encrypted, so there is the possibility of someone on
say, your local network seeing what you're typing and receiving. However, with modern
network equipment you would have to go out of your way to set this up.

Is Messenger safe? I think the primary concerns would be who you're speaking to and what
you're saying to them, as opposed to the actual program/technology.

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger/MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
All posts unless otherwise specified are (c) 2007 Jonathan Kay.
You *must* contact me for redistribution rights.
--





"noaim" <> wrote in message
news:uyZO8$...
> im just curious on the security risks of windows live messenger is it possible for a user
> to install a keyloger on your machine just by communicating with this person. Or do they
> have to send you a file. How secure is my password? How secure is using it in general. I
> don't want to potenionally give out private information or have my machine compromised is
> it safe?

Thanks that clarifies it pretty good for me just didn't want anyone getting
control of my system ....





"Jonathan Kay [MVP]" <> wrote in message
news:50960FD3-A4D7-4127-BBC9-...
> Greetings,
>
> No. There are no known exploits in Messenger that allow anyone to do
> anything on your PC without you accepting and executing whatever they're
> sending you.
>
> Authentication is done using standard SSL (same as your bank, etc. on the
> web).
>
> Actual conversations however are not encrypted, so there is the
> possibility of someone on say, your local network seeing what you're
> typing and receiving. However, with modern network equipment you would
> have to go out of your way to set this up.
>
> Is Messenger safe? I think the primary concerns would be who you're
> speaking to and what you're saying to them, as opposed to the actual
> program/technology.
>
> --
> Jonathan Kay
> Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger/MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
> Associate Expert
> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
> Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
> All posts unless otherwise specified are (c) 2007 Jonathan Kay.
> You *must* contact me for redistribution rights.
> --
>
>
>
>
>
> "noaim" <> wrote in message
> news:uyZO8$...
>> im just curious on the security risks of windows live messenger is it
>> possible for a user to install a keyloger on your machine just by
>> communicating with this person. Or do they have to send you a file. How
>> secure is my password? How secure is using it in general. I don't want
>> to potenionally give out private information or have my machine
>> compromised is it safe?
>
>

Hi,

You should be fine

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger/MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
All posts unless otherwise specified are (c) 2007 Jonathan Kay.
You *must* contact me for redistribution rights.
--


"noaim" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Thanks that clarifies it pretty good for me just didn't want anyone getting control of my
> system ....
>
>
>
>
>
> "Jonathan Kay [MVP]" <> wrote in message
> news:50960FD3-A4D7-4127-BBC9-...
>> Greetings,
>>
>> No. There are no known exploits in Messenger that allow anyone to do anything on your PC
>> without you accepting and executing whatever they're sending you.
>>
>> Authentication is done using standard SSL (same as your bank, etc. on the web).
>>
>> Actual conversations however are not encrypted, so there is the possibility of someone on
>> say, your local network seeing what you're typing and receiving. However, with modern
>> network equipment you would have to go out of your way to set this up.
>>
>> Is Messenger safe? I think the primary concerns would be who you're speaking to and what
>> you're saying to them, as opposed to the actual program/technology.
>>
>> --
>> Jonathan Kay
>> Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger/MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
>> Associate Expert
>> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
>> Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
>> All posts unless otherwise specified are (c) 2007 Jonathan Kay.
>> You *must* contact me for redistribution rights.
>> --
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> "noaim" <> wrote in message
>> news:uyZO8$...
>>> im just curious on the security risks of windows live messenger is it possible for a user
>>> to install a keyloger on your machine just by communicating with this person. Or do they
>>> have to send you a file. How secure is my password? How secure is using it in general.
>>> I don't want to potenionally give out private information or have my machine compromised
>>> is it safe?
>>
>>
>