Chat Much? Is it secure?

Declan McCullagh has a great overview of the security of Chat. And by chat, I mean computer and cell phone instant messaging.

The question of whether your IM chat is secure is really several questions:
Are you wireless, and is the wireless connection secure?
If you are wired, was there a secure log on?
Does it provide complete encryption?

If you’re discussing your thoughts on the latest action film, the security probably isn’t top of mind. But if you use IM for business and discuss proprietary ideas, work-for-hire, or use it to get other sensitive information- like logins or passwords to something else, then the security of your chat is paramount.