IPoIM: Internet Protocol over Instant Messaging

This work proposes a novel utilization of instant messaging (IM) services as an ubiquitous network layer for protocol encapsulation and transmission. As more than 70% of organizations and almost all home users do not block IM traffic, this work evidences a latent vulnerability of the technology that can be exploited. A working prototype was implemented using open source software. The prototype combines an IM client with a tunnel that was used through public IM services to transmit arbitrary content. The measured bandwidth is of the same order of the one provided by a dial-up modem. Preliminary experimental results are presented and initial security considerations suggested