Meet Your Messenger

Published: 10-09-2007 | Author: Morten Grantzau
Tags: MSN Messenger, IM, SPAM

Numerous e-mails are flooding my inbox with the title "Invitation to Meetyourmessenger.dk". They originates from a Danish website who claims to allow registered users to see who other people has added to their MSN Messenger.

First, it's important for me to let you know that I haven't signed up for this "service" at this point - nor do I plan to do so - and if you'd care to read a little further you might understand why I have this opinion.

Web based applications

We should start at taking a brief look at the way web based applications are constructed. Normally you would enter some info (in this case your MSN Live ID and password) in some sort of form fields on a website. When you press submit the data is stored in a database of some kind (could be mySQL or MS SQL or similar). This enables you to log into a system where you can access the information given to you by the site creator.

Let's pause here for a moment.

The data is stored in a database...

This shouldn't presents itself as a thread now should it? However, we have seen numerous times that these informations in fact are possible to extract for someone a little familiar with programing - not rocket-science - simple web programming...

I use MSN Messenger

... and I have some 400 people added to my account. I have a great mixture of personal contacts and business relations mixed in a bundle and therefore MSN Messsenger is a very important tool for me. But whenever I add someone I've learned that these people should be authorized by ME BEFORE they are able to see anything about me. And I make the choice to share information about other users in my MSN.... I wouldn't rely on any program (or even worse - web based) application to make those choices for me.

Just an idea

I've been thinking that I would create a similar service - just for cell phones. If you add your phone number and your PIN-code I'll extract the data (contacts, notes, Bluetooth info, text messages and photos) from your cell phone and store it in a database. Now, when you sign up for my service, you'll be able to see all the content of any ones cell phone - as long as they have YOU listed in their address book...

Does that sound appealing?

Security

Any website where you enter ANY kind of information alongside with your password is NOT worth mentioning in the same sentence as the word "secure". Whenever we add someone to our address book or in MSN WE (not any one else) is responsible for their data. If we distribute this data to 3-parties what kind of people are we then?

I have no right to criticize the meetyourmessenger.dk project - I haven't tried it and I have no intention to do so.

BUT!

I would be VERY disappointed to find out that other people could see who I've added to my MSN Messenger client just because "someone" wasn't careful enough with my personal data.

As you might have understood by know I'm not a fan of these things. I carefully choose the services I use and I feel it as an obligation to support and protect the vital data I've been trusted with by friends, business relations and family. As always the morale is to be safe and to protect yourself - but this time - also protect ME!

--
Morten Grantzau, 2010
morten {at} grantzau.com

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