AOL will launch what it is calling “Enterprise AIM” which will offer encrypted instant messaging. The announcement came on the same day that Microsoft admitted that there was a security flaw in it’s MSN Messenger. “Security” is being provided by a joint venture with Verisign, a company that is making a great name for itself in the domain name registrant space.
This could possibly explain why AOL has been in a pissing contest with Trillian. Trillian offers encrypted messaging and has for quite some time.
This step in IM technology is crucial for business customers to finally adopt instant messaging as an acceptable form of communications in the workplace. Not for reasons of secrecy or, for protection. Rather industry and government regulations require that instant messaging services be encrypted. This is particularly true for the health care and financial industries.
Oddly enough, secureshuttle.com has been offering secure instant messaging for a couple of years now with it’s Boomerang SST product. So, secure IM is not a new construct. However with almost every paradigm shift in communications the most crucial problems to overcome is the adoption and acceptance phase.