Akonix Systems, Inc., the premier provider of business solutions for secure, managed and integrated multi-network enterprise instant messaging (IM), warns corporations about a new worm that is propagating over MSN through MSN Messenger and Windows Messenger instant messaging client applications. The Akonix Security Center team has identified the threat and is advising customers on necessary steps to protect against possible attacks.

According to security firm, Symantec, the worm, named Bropia.A, sends a copy of itself to all contacts in MSN Messenger and Windows Messenger instant messaging client applications. The worm downloads a Trojan horse program (called Rbot) which opens a back door into Windows systems. The Trojan horse application can then log the keystrokes of the unsuspecting user, collect system information and spread SPIM (spam over IM), according to security specialist F-Secure. The malware also disables the right mouse button of the infected machine to block access to context sensitive menus and makes changes to the volume settings of Windows, according to F-Secure.

To protect against this worm, Akonix advises customers to:

-- Temporarily suspend all file transfers over MSN to block the propagation of potentially malicious files containing the Rbot Trojan horse

-- Update desktop anti-virus software for the latest virus definitions that include Bropia.A

-- Allow file transfers over MSN, if applicable, once desktops are protected against the Rbot Trojan horse

"Unmanaged public instant messaging is quickly becoming one of the most easily exploitable threat vectors into the enterprise," said Peter Shaw, chief executive officer at Akonix Systems. "The Bropia.A worm is just the latest in a series of attacks that are targeting IM, and organizations are quickly realizing that connecting to public instant messaging networks without an IM security and management gateway in place is analogous to connecting to the Internet without a firewall."

In general, Akonix advises customers to follow a defense-in-depth strategy for protecting against IM-borne attacks. This includes educating users on the risks of IM attacks, keeping anti-virus software up-to-date, and defining and enforcing policies within Akonix L7 Enterprise that minimize the risk of attack, such as a policy to block file transfers of executables over IM. For IM attacks that are propagating through IM messages or known file transfers, Akonix issues the industry's only SPIM and Malware Policies. These policies are downloaded and enabled without any system downtime or IT intervention and automatically protect the customers' networks from risk of attack.

About Akonix

Akonix is the leading provider of enterprise-class business solutions for leveraging the power of multi-network enterprise instant messaging. Akonix's award-winning products leverage patent-pending core technology, an advanced IM application development platform, and certified strategic partnerships to deliver multi-network management, security, integration and compliance capabilities across all major IM systems, including America Online(R) AIM(R) and ICQ(R), Microsoft MSN, Yahoo! Messenger, Microsoft Live Communications Server, Reuters Messaging, IBM Lotus Instant Messaging (Sametime) and Jabber.

More than 500 customers in Financial Services, Telecommunications, Energy, Technology, Healthcare and Entertainment depend on Akonix to manage, secure and enable IM for over 700,000 enterprise users. Akonix is the preferred IM management solution of some of the world's largest companies, including Cingular Wireless, Qualcomm, EMC and ING.

Akonix is widely recognized as the technology and market innovator with awards for its L7 Enterprise IM gateway from Windows & .NET Magazine, Network World, eWeek, SC Magazine, PC Magazine and Red Herring. Akonix is backed by leading venture capital firms Menlo Ventures, Mission Ventures, Palomar Ventures and Windward Ventures, who collectively manage over $3.5 billion in capital.