Instant messaging (IM) security specialist FaceTime Communications has updated its IM Auditor tool for managing instant messaging systems across distributed environments.

IM Auditor 8 supports the latest enterprise and public IM systems, including Lotus Sametime 7.5, Yahoo 8.0 and MSN 8.0, and allows administrators to enforce policies on specific users, such as temporary workers or sub-contractors, who may need to be managed differently.

The product also guards against inbound malware via file transfers and, in combination with FaceTime's Real-Time Guardian perimeter tool, can prevent sensitive information being sent from organisations, said the company's vice-president of marketing, Frank Cabri.

"IM solutions, whether public or enterprise, are becoming more like rich collaboration clients, so managing and securing IM is now about much more than just [instant messaging]," he said.

In addition, because many enterprise IM clients now allow users to conduct conversations with public IM systems, IM Auditor 8 allows these federated conversations to be archived, said FaceTime.

A new feature called IM Relay directs conversations conducted on unmanaged devices back through IM Auditor, enabling administrators to apply corporate instant messaging policies to mobile staff, Cabri added.