The Ramble

Instant Messaging: Does it have a Place in Business Networks?: "But the biggest concern in today’s business environment is security. Different IM applications use different, proprietary protocols and standard firewall configurations may not block or detect them. The IM programs also often circumvent authentication systems. Some IM clients can use ports other than those associated with IM (see the table for a list of commonly used IM ports), even commonly open ports such as 80."