You may be familiar with the term SPAM but in recent years SPIM, which is basically SPAM through instant messaging, has become much more common. Back in September we talked about the rise of SPIM bots through Windows Live Messenger and how Windows Live Messenger 9 added features to stop them. Now it appears Microsoft are taking the next step by trying to take down one the biggest companies behind SPIM through MSN/ Windows Live Messenger.



According to Ars Technica Hong Kong-based Funmobile, its US subsidiary Mobilefundster, and several individuals are being sued by Microsoft in Redmond. The burden SPIM bots have on the program's 330 million users needs to be tackled and it's good to see Microsoft is providing a firm response to the problem by rooting out the cause.



Read more: Microsoft's full compliant (PDF)
Source: Ars Technica

Spam. We all get it. Hundreds of emails sent to you every day, poorly written just like this post. They attempt to sell, scam, pester or advertise to you in the most ludicrous ways! Spam has been around for years and has taken over our email inboxes. Quiet honestly it's something I hate, yet don't find interfering. This is because our email clients have been smart enough to detect spam and block irrelevant emails for years now. SPIM, on the other hand, is less frequent but a much more major annoyance.

Messaging spam, as it is also known, targets instant messenger users from usernames it expects to be using a specific service. Bots will then attempt to add you, mimicking as new contacts. Once added them will target ads towards your interests, based on the information where it discovered your email address. Of course they are persistent, and difficult to spot.

The problem has been exacerbated by the increase in Messenger bots, and how easy they are to create and distribute. Over the past few weeks, I've seen several forums posts with people claiming several SPIM bots have added them to Messenger. the andyman himself has had 23 bots add him in the space of 3 days.

Luckily Microsoft have already created a solution, implemented in the new Windows Live Messenger 9. Although the feature is still incomplete, and the version still not publicly available, it is only a matter of time before SPIM bots spread to a wider market. Remember to protect yourself, don't post your IM address or username in a public forum or website, where bots are likely to pick it up.

It's come to my attention that there has been some spoofing emails going the rounds disguised as official emails from Microsoft advertising a new version of Messenger dubbed 9.5

We at Messenger Stuff would like to warn people not to open or follow any links in these emails and instead report them as junk and/or spam as well as delete them.

Currently there is no Messenger 9.5 available in public or private beta testing so for the sake of your computer's health do not open or download anything from these emails It's highly likely to only lead you to a virus, worm, spyware, malware or other nasty that really you don't want on your computer.

Take care. We'll have news covering the Messenger Plus! Live skinning contest and our favourite entries coming soon.

I've done a few blog posts around the place today, mainly looking at negative stuff. I assure you I am not an angry person. So there I am, Messenger in the background, I'm waiting for someone to come online really, I needed a picture from them, when a new message pops up.

I get a message, from someone I have not spoke to in months saying:


How did I reply? Like every geek does, by complaining about the reasoning behind sending one. And the reply I got was on the lines of: I agree, but my mom could die.

Then I just ignored this person, and thought in the strange way I do, I must blog about this (seriously, I only got the message 15 minutes ago. I'm so sad.). It took my mind around three times as long to translate what the message actually meant. Then I get the same message again! And again, and again, and again ...

I seriously hate these things, and most of the people who fall for them and start panicking, sending them to all their contacts in hope of not upsetting any magical force.

There is a difference with chain mail and chain IM's. Some chain mail is actually rather funny, and cleverly done. However chain IM's seem to be made up by someone who can't spell, with the attempt just to annoy everyone on their contact list. And the worse point yet, is that you, yes you have sent these onto someone else before! So when the next person sends you one of these, ignore it, close and conversation and forget it.

Thanks for reading.