Akonix Predicts Top IM Trends for 2005

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Akonix Predicts Instant Messaging Trends for 2005; Experience with Vast Customer and Partner Base Leads to Forecast of Both Rapid Growth and More Serious Security Risks for the IM Industry

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 31, 2005--Akonix Systems, Inc., the premier provider of solutions for security, control and integration of instant messaging (IM) for the enterprise, today published its top five IM predictions for 2005. Analyzing data from over 500 of its customers and dozens of industry leading partners throughout 2004, Akonix has revealed some clear trends for 2005.

The predominant issue is the anticipated growth of IM within enterprises and an associated increase in security risks to both public and enterprise IM networks. A recent survey by Sage Research shows that respondents expect IM use to exceed email in the next few years. META Group believes IM will be as prevalent as email by 2008. During 2004, the Akonix Security Center identified over 50 specific IM threats from viruses, worms, Trojans and other malicious code. 2005 will see a steady rise in the amount of security threats to public and enterprise IM systems.

Akonix's five key predictions for the rapidly-growing IM industry in 2005 are as follows:

1. Virus and malware attacks over IM will grow more than threefold for the third year in a row and the first widespread damage from a major IM attack will hit corporate networks worldwide
2. The first major fine for failure to retain IM business records will be levied by the SEC, under regulations that subject IM to the same archiving requirements as email communications; with healthcare and other regulations close behind
3. The number of Spam over IM (Spim) messages will more than double, beginning to pose more than a nuisance for IM users -- while still trailing the problem of Spam in email
4. The first authorized, truly cross-system connections will finally be delivered between enterprise IM systems and public IM networks, followed closely by the first cross-network virus attack
5. Effective, secure and well integrated use of presence, IM and real-time collaboration will allow companies that embrace this new technology to outperform their competitors through more responsive customer service and dramatically improved efficiency

A joint Akonix / ePolicy Institute December 2004 Webcast, "Best Practices for IM in the Enterprise: an Essential IT Initiative for 2005," highlighted that many companies remain unprepared for these events. Of the nearly 300 attending companies, 38% still have not established any IM usage policy for their organization. Even more importantly, technology to manage IM is rarely in place, as 21% of the attendees reported that employees openly flout company guidelines that officially prohibit IM use on the company network.

"In 2004, IM's grassroots growth led to use on virtually every corporate network whether the CIO was aware or in favor of it, or not," said Peter Shaw, CEO of Akonix. "In 2005, organizations need to pay attention or risk serious consequences -- and many still are not. Presence and IM can deliver huge productivity advantages for organizations who embrace them, however for those companies without a strong solution for security, control and integration, 2005 could prove to be a very difficult year."

About Akonix
Akonix is the leading provider of enterprise-class business solutions for leveraging the power of multi-network enterprise instant messaging. Akonix's award-winning products leverage patent-pending core technology, an advanced IM application development platform, and certified strategic partnerships to deliver multi-network management, security, integration and compliance capabilities across all major IM systems, including America Online(R) AIM and ICQ, Microsoft MSN, Yahoo! Messenger, Microsoft(R) Live Communications Server, Reuters Messaging, IBM Lotus Instant Messaging (Sametime) and Jabber.

More than 500 customers in Financial Services, Telecommunications, Energy, Technology, Healthcare and Entertainment depend on Akonix to manage, secure and enable IM for over 700,000 enterprise users. Akonix is the preferred IM management solution of some of the world's largest companies, including Cingular Wireless, EMC and ING.

Akonix is widely recognized as the technology and market innovator with awards for its L7 Enterprise IM gateway from Windows & .NET Magazine, Network World, eWeek, SC Magazine, PC Magazine and Red Herring. Akonix is backed by leading venture capital firms Menlo Ventures, Mission Ventures, Palomar Ventures and Windward Ventures, who collectively manage over $3.5 billion in capital.