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Blocking MSN Messenger?

Posted by Cliff on from the making-IMs-not-so-instant dept.

Tekno2k3 asks: "As a sysadmin for a financial company, I have been tasked with removing Instant Messaging from our network. The only service that is being difficult is MSN Messenger. It uses many methods to get around being blocked. These include using port 80, using it's own DNS servers for lookup, using MANY logon servers, and using reverse DNS lookup. Has anyone had any success in blocking Messenger?"

6 of 236 comments (clear)

  1. Why block MSN? by flikx · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The real question here is why block MSN? What about people who use instant messaging for legitimate business purposes?? People chat on telephones, and I don't see many offices rushing to ban them. Fire unproductive people, and let the rest of us communicate.

    --
    One future, two choices. Oppose them or let them destroy us.
    1. Re:Why block MSN? by fatrat · · Score: 3, Insightful

      > I can't wait until my generation is in charge.#

      and when you get there, you'll find that all the same regulations about being able to record all conversations/encrypt it etc still apply and so you'd still have to block MSN.

  2. Re:The easy way isn't always popular by bigsteve@dstc · · Score: 4, Insightful
    You can't go around firing people for petty reasons like instant messaging.
    Who are you to say that this would petty? I can think of any number of reasons why instant messaging might be deemed highly inappropriate in a particular workplace. If that is the case, AND management has made this clear to all employees, then somebody who willfully flouts the rules deserves to be sacked.
  3. How to stop MSN Messenger? You kidding? by Feztaa · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Install Linux, MSN Messenger will go away rather quickly :)

    I think it would be easier to lock down a linux box to prevent installations of gaim, Gabber, etc than it would be to putz around with your firewalls trying to kill MSN Messenger.

  4. Re:Group policies are the solution by MrResistor · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Yes, there are others, but do we really think that the Average Joe IM-Abuser-At-Work will know of these programs?

    Yes, within a week of whatever he was using being blocked. It only takes one person to figure it out, and word will spread.

    --
    Under capitalism man exploits man. Under communism it's the other way around.
  5. Re:Group policies are not the solution by metacosm · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Ding Ding Ding! Correct, IT is there to HELP. Same exact thing goes with contractors, they are there to help the full time employees. As a contractor in IT departments, I can tell you that companies, contractors and IT departments are often very broken in how they try to get stuff done.

    NOT EVERYTHING IS A TECHNICAL ISSUE. Policy is as important as technology. Lazy management makes management problems (lack of control and accountability) into technical problems because they are too weak to deal with the issues on their own and want IT to do it for them.

    Also, FlashDesktops is far better than JSPager :).