Spreading viruses as e-mail attachments is old-fashioned, especially since an increasing number of users started to use IM clients. Therefore, the virus authors have changed their habits.

Akonix Systems, a company dealing with the prevention and monitoring of new threats, announced in September a new record: 25 viruses.

And the worse part is that seven of them are new, unlike the previous months, when the majority of viruses were modified version of some existent ones.

The viruses spreading through IM scan the contact list and then generate messages which look like they've been sent by the user. Those who are naive enough to click on the link included in the message will be redirected to a site, where they are to find a virus instead of the promised image or movie.

Akonix considers that the appearing of new viruses can be regarded as a sign that hackers are more and more interested in Instant Messaging as a virus spreading method.

According to the studies, 90% of the American companies are already using an IM service, and one third of the e-mail users will also employ an IM client by the end of 2005.

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