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MSN Messenger is a freeware instant messaging client that was developed and distributed by Microsoft in 1999 to 2005 and in 2007 for computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system (except Windows Vista), and aimed towards home users. It was renamed Windows Live Messenger in February 2006 as part of Microsoft's Windows Live series of online services and software.

MSN Messenger is often used to refer to the .NET Messenger Service (the protocols and server that allow the system to operate) rather than any particular client.

Version Overview

MSN Messenger 1 (1.0.0863)

The first product release, released July 22, 1999. It included only basic features, such as plain text messaging and a simplistic contact list.

When MSN Messenger was first released it featured support for access to America Online's AIM Network. America Online continually tried to block Microsoft from having access to their service until eventually the feature was removed, and has not re-surfaced in any later versions of the software. Now the software only allows connections to the .NET Messenger Service, requiring a Microsoft Passport Network account to connect, as well as limited contact with Yahoo Messenger.

MSN Messenger 2 (2.0.0083)

Released November 16, 1999. Included a rotating advertising banner and the ability to slightly customize the appearance of the chat window. It came as an install option for Windows Me.

MSN Messenger 3 (3.0.0080)

Released May 29, 2000. Included file transfers, PC to PC and PC to phone audio capabilities with Net2Phone, one of the first VOIP providers.

MSN Messenger 4.6

Released October 23, 2001. Included major changes to the user interface, ability to group contacts and support for voice conversations. In this version it was renamed from the old "MSN Messenger Service" to just "MSN Messenger".

MSN Messenger 4.6 was based on Windows Messenger 4.0 and ran only on Windows 9x, ME, NT and 2000. Windows Messenger was provided for Windows XP.

MSN Messenger 5

Released October 24, 2002. Included UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) based file transfers and minor changes to the user interface artwork. This was the first version that was allowed to run alongside Windows Messenger on Windows XP, also Windows Media Player interface plug-in. MSN Messenger 5 no longer works on operating systems earlier than Windows 95.

MSN Messenger 6

Released July 17, 2003. MSN Messenger 6 was a major overhaul of the whole platform, upgradings its simple text-based interface to include customizable elements such as emoticons, personalized avatars and backgrounds.

MSN Messenger 6.1

This version focused on the conversation window, enabling users to hide the window frame and menu bar, and also the ability to change the theme colour. The theme colour can be set differently for each user. The protocol version was also updated to MSNP version 10.

MSN Messenger 6.2

Released April 22, 2004. This was the last version of the MSN Messenger 6 series, most notable changes were contacts with mobile capabilities were more distinguishable (including a dedicated Mobile group), a connection trouble-shooter and the Launch Site feature was renamed to Fun & Games..

MSN Messenger 7.0

Released April 7, 2005. Brought along the winks features, which was previously only available in threedegrees. This version also advertises items to sell to you including animated display pictures, emoticons and backgrounds. The contact list window style was also updated to match instant message windows. This version also introduced the Xbox Live Integration feature. This is the last major MSN Messenger version for Windows 98 and Windows Me. This version also introduced digital ink and handwriting recognition support.

MSN Messenger 7.5

Released August 23, 2005. Introduced an updated Passport credentials system. New features are the Dynamic Backgrounds feature, Voice Clips and the msnim protocol handler, allowing Web sites to provide links which automatically add a contact or start conversations (for example clicking on link msnim:chat?contact=login@passport.net will start chat conversation with user login@passport.net). The Voice Clip feature lets you hold down F2 and record a message for a maximum of 15 seconds and send it to the recipient. The window for conversations changed slightly with a Video button and a different position for the webcam icon (under the display picture). This version runs on Windows XP and later. With the release of version 7.5, MSN Messenger started using Windows Installer for its auto-update feature. When a user selects yes to an update prompt upon sign in, the application will download an MSP file specific to updating that version to the latest and execute in the background. The largest patch thus far is 1.5MB, relatively smaller than downloading the entire MSI installation package.

This version is no longer available for use, as when the user attempts to sign in, they are prompted with a message which forces them to download Windows Live Messenger, as a result of a security vulnerability. However, users who don't want to change to Windows Live Messenger can set the compatibility mode of the msnmsgr.exe file (which can usually be found in C:\Programs\MSN Messenger) to "Windows 2000", and MSN 7.5 can still be used with Windows XP.

MSN Messenger 7.0.0820

Released September 12, 2007. The release was the result of a reported security vulnerability discovered in versions of Messenger older than 8.1. The vulnerability "could allow remote code execution when a user accepts a webcam or video chat invitation from an attacker. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of the affected system." This led to an auto-update being released to all MSN Messenger versions. Users of MSN Messenger 7.0 and below were required to update to this version, and 7.5 users were required to update to WLM 8.1, though had the option of using this version instead.

Version 7.0.0820 is the only version of MSN Messenger officially downloadable from Microsoft now. Because of the above mentioned vulnerability, version 7.5 is no longer available.

Windows Live Messenger

MSN Messenger was renamed to Windows Live Messenger upon its eighth version release in February 2006.

MSN Web Messenger

MSN Web Messenger is a browser-based messaging program that allows MSN users to instant-message people on their contact list, from computers that do not or cannot have the program installed (i.e. public computers). Web Messenger was launched in August 2004, and is convenient for people who are using the internet away from home, or own computers that are some way incompatible with the MSN program. On the contact list for MSN Messenger users, the status of somebody using Web messenger is either displayed as a globe, or by appending the word (Web) after their name, depending on the version of MSN Messenger used.

Protocol

MSN Messenger uses the Microsoft Notification Protocol (MSNP) over TCP (and optionally over HTTP to deal with proxies) to connect to the .NET Messenger Service — a service offered on port 1863 of messenger.hotmail.com. Its current version is 13 (MSNP13), used by MSN Messenger version 7.5 and other third-party clients. The protocol is not completely secret; Microsoft disclosed version 2 (MSNP2) to developers in 1999 in an Internet Draft, but never released versions 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 to the public. .NET Messenger Service servers currently only accept protocol versions from 8 and on, so the syntax of new commands from versions 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 is only known by using sniffers like Wireshark. MSNP13 will be the protocol used in Windows Live Messenger. This program is still not compatible with Mac OS X's browser as of yet.

Xbox Live integration

As of MSN Messenger 7.0, the client now offers a level of integration with Microsoft's Xbox Live Internet Gaming service. Users of MSN Messenger can go to the Xbox Website and link their gamertag to Microsoft's .NET Passport network. This will allow MSN Messenger to report the user's Xbox Live friends list, as well as allow them to send game invitations to players, so that the user does not have to be on Xbox Live in order to arrange games. This feature goes along with Microsoft's continuing goal to place integration between their various services. After December 2, Xbox Live Integration had temporarily malfunctioned. This was due to the change in hardware and protocol brought with the release of the Xbox 360. The error was soon corrected. The Spring 2007 Update for Xbox 360 allowed MSN users and 360 users to chat simultaneously, and even lists what game is being played by an Xbox Live user to their MSN Messenger friends. This functionality does not include video or audio chat between Xbox live users and MSN users.

Games and Applications

MSN Messenger shares the same games and applications as Windows Live Messenger.

Competition

The most significant rivals of MSN Messenger are AIM and ICQ (both from AOL), Skype, Pidgin (previously known as Gaim), and Jabber based clients including Google Talk.

In China the predominant instant messenger is QQ. Although little used outside China, its domestic users number as high as 300 million.

On October 13, 2005, Yahoo! and Microsoft announced plans to introduce interoperability between their two messengers, creating the second largest instant messenger user base worldwide: 40% of all users (AIM currently held 56%). The announcement comes after years of 3rd party interoperability success (most notably, Trillian, Pidgin) and criticisms from Google that the major instant messengers were locking their networks. This interoperability became available in the next version of MSN Messenger, which was renamed Windows Live Messenger.

Malware

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MSN Messenger (along with other networks such as its successor Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger and AOL Instant Messenger) is often used as a conduit or "vector" for delivering malicious software such as spyware, viruses, worms, and trojans to unsuspecting computer users. The two methods used by hackers to deliver malware over the IM vector are (1) sending a file transfer with a virus-infected file, and (2) delivering a message with socially engineered content containing a web address (URL) containing active malicious code. Viruses and worms with colorful names such as W32.Yalove or Troj/Msnfake-L have been identified as targeting users of the MSN Messenger network over the past few years.

The threat of infection by these two methods is substantial and growing. The IM Security Center, a collaboration between security companies and corporations, has tracked attacks over IM since 2003 and shows well over 1000 distinct attacks over the public IM networks. The first half of 2007 saw an 84% increase in IM attacks over the first half of 2006, and over 80 distinct IM attacks were recorded in the first half of 2008. While IM-specific attacks remain a small percentage of overall virus and malware threats, the continued growth in usage of IM, along with the rapid adoption of IM in the workplace (See Instant Messaging) make IM an attractive vector for malicious hackers, and both individuals and companies must take precautions to avoid infection.

The most common method of delivering a malicious payload is the use of social engineering to construct a message that appears to be coming from a contact on the recipient's contact list. A socially engineered message is one that is written in a friendly, informal manner, that could easily be mistaken as coming from a friend. The message usually will say something like "Click here to see pics of me from vacation!" or "Is this you?" with a web address -- known as a "poison URL" -- for the recipient to click. Upon clicking the web address, the recipient is connected to a website containing active content, which is immediately downloaded to the recipient's computer. In most cases, the payload contains an installer, a number of hidden files containing text, and code which causes the same socially engineered message with poison URL to be sent to every contact on the contact list. When the message is sent to all contacts, the cycle starts again, as each contact believes they are receiving a message from a trusted friend. In this manner, IM-borne malware is capable of propagating very rapidly through company and external networks.

Worms and viruses are discovered on a regular basis by security companies, particularly by the three companies with IM-specific security products, Akonix Systems, FaceTime Communications, and Symantec. According to IM security researchers at Akonix and other security firms, the average number of new threats identified each month is 30 to 35, with a high of 88 in October, 2006.

See also

• Windows Live Messenger
• Messenger Plus!
• Microsoft Messenger for Mac

References

1. "AOL blocks Microsoft Net messaging". CNET News.com.
2. "Patching". Microsoft Developer Network.
3. "MSN Messenger 7.0.0820 now available for Windows XP".
4. Benjamin (2008-01-07). "Inside QQ report is out!". www.plu8star.com. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
5. "Yahoo and MSN marry IM services". vnunet.com. October 13, 2005. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

External links

• MSN Web Messenger
• Official MSN Messenger 7.0 download site
• MSN download
• MSN Messenger downloads
• Web Messengers Handbook
• MSN Messenger Errors and Solutions

• Microsoft software
• MSN
• VoIP software
• Windows instant messaging clients
• 1999 software