MSN Service

Microsoft Network Messenger (MSN Messenger) is the instant messaging service provided by Microsoft. The security device compares actual MSN traffic with maximum settings of what you consider to be normal MSN traffic. The security device considers any traffic exceeding such settings as anomalous.

To modify one or more of the following settings for MSN Messenger, enter a new value in the Current column for the parameter you want to adjust, and then click Apply:

Maximum Username Length: Specifies the maximum number of bytes in any MSN user’s name. Minimum: 1; maximum: 1024; default: 84.

Maximum Display Name Length: Specifies the maximum number of bytes in an MSN display name, which is the name that you use to identify yourself to other MSN principals. A display name is also known as a “friendly name”, “custom name” or “custom user name”.  Minimum: 1; maximum: 1024; default: 128.

Maximum Group Name Length: Specifies the maximum number of bytes for an MSN group. Every group has a name and an ID number, and every principal belongs to at least one group: the default group named “~” (tilde) with ID 0. Minimum: 1; maximum: 1024; default: 84.

Maximum User State Length: Specifies the maximum number of bytes in an MSN user state. A user state is a 3-letter code that indicates the status of a user’s connection. Some examples: NLN (online), FLN (offline), HDN (hidden/invisible). There are other states that are substates of NLN. Some examples of those: BSY (Busy), IDL (Idle), and BRB (Be Right Back). Minimum: 3; maximum: 15; default: 3.

Maximum Phone Number Length: Specifies the maximum number of bytes for a phone number in an MSN Forward List (FL). The FL is essentially a contact list of other MSN principals. Minimum: 20; maximum: 50; default: 20.

Maximum Length of IP:Port: Specifies the maximum number of bytes for the IP address:port number of an MSN server (notification server or switchboard server) for a switchboard session. Minimum: 30; maximum: 40; default: 30.

Note: All MSN notification and switchboard servers use port 1863.

Maximum URL Length: Specifies the maximum number of bytes for a URL address in an MSN message. Minimum: 1; maximum: 2000; default: 1024.