enclosed message

[terry]

popup on screen: emachine logo warning important message!!
microsoft internet explorer warning-important message you
are seeing a message because we have detected that you
have tracking softwaare installed in your machine. this
is not a virus, but a program in your machine that
moniters & transmits all of your online activities and is
a serious violation of your privacy. Below is a link to
a free scanner to download that will find & remove all
spyware programs on your machine. Get the scanner. Then
it shows "Enigma Software Group",
http://www2aenigmasoftwaregroup.com/freedownload 383.html
Then it shows the home page for this site.


Is this legitimate information I need to be concerned
about. If so, should I go ahead with the scan? Thanks
for any help provided

 

[Wesley Vogel]

terry;

[[If advertisements are opening on your computer in a window titled
Messenger Service, it may indicate that your system is not secure. You
should enable the Internet Connection Firewall and disable the Messenger
Service in Windows XP to help protect your computer from unwanted spam and
other potential threats.]]

Disabling Messenger Service in Windows XP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/communicate/stopspam.asp

I wouldn't trust any scummy company that advertises in this manner.
There are plenty of FREE anti-spyware programs.
=========================

First.
Right click the IE icon | Properties | Advanced tab |
Make sure both of these are NOT checked.

 Enable Install On Demand (Internet Explorer)
[[Specifies to automatically download and install Internet Explorer
components if a Web page needs them in order to display the page properly or
perform a particular task.]]
 Enable Install On Demand (Other)
[[Specifies to automatically download and install Web components if a Web
page needs them in order to display the page properly or perform a
particular task.]]

Apply | OK
=================================

Second.
It is known as Scumware. Visit these sites. 1, 2, 3 and 4 are really good.
Download, install, run, update and run again; one or all. They are all
good, FREE utilities.
The first site gives some recommendations.
http://www.spywareinfo.com/downloads.php?cat=all#s-p

1) Spybot S & D
http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?lang=en&page=download
or
http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloads31.html

2) SpywareBlaster
SpywareBlaster doesn't scan and clean for spyware - it prevents it from ever
being installed.
The most important step you can take is to secure your system. And
SpywareBlaster is the most powerful protection program available.
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

3) HijackThis (some other stuff that may be of interest also)
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/index.html

4) CWShredder direct download:
http://216.180.233.163/~merijn/files/CWShredder.exe

4½) CWShredder
http://majorgeeks.com/download4086.html

5) Bazooka Adware and Spyware Scanner v1.13
http://www.kephyr.com/spywarescanner/index.html?source=appvisit

6) ToolbarCop
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/toolbarcop.htm

7) AdAware
http://www.lavasoft.de/support/download/
===============

Additional information & instructions.
A wealth of information here, boys and girls.

THE PARASITE FIGHT QUICK FIX PROTOCOL
http://aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm

THE PARASITE FIGHT
Finding, Removing & Protecting Yourself From Scumware
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm

Bugs, Glitches & Stuffups
http://www.mvps.org/inetexplorer/Darnit.htm

Dealing with Unwanted Spyware and Parasites
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm

Unexplained computer behavior may be caused by deceptive software
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;827315#appliesto

Spyware and Deceptive Software
http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/twc/privacy/spyware.mspx?gssnb=1

What you should know about spyware
http://www.microsoft.com/security/articles/spyware.asp

 

[Shenan Stanley]

popup on screen: emachine logo warning important message!!
microsoft internet explorer warning-important message you
are seeing a message because we have detected that you
have tracking softwaare installed in your machine. this
is not a virus, but a program in your machine that
moniters & transmits all of your online activities and is
a serious violation of your privacy. Below is a link to
a free scanner to download that will find & remove all
spyware programs on your machine. Get the scanner. Then
it shows "Enigma Software Group",
http://www2aenigmasoftwaregroup.com/freedownload 383.html
Then it shows the home page for this site.


Is this legitimate information I need to be concerned
about. If so, should I go ahead with the scan? Thanks
for any help provided

It's crap. You need to be concerned, but only as much as you should be
anyway.

Please Notice that if you use AOL, you should at least upgrade to 9.0 or
greater before doing any of the fixes. I know you can get AOL 9.0 at almost
any convenience store, gas station, super market or other retail outlet in
the world, so this should not be a problem. Also, if you are using AOL 9.0,
you will not be able to perform the first step in this list. You should
look into another solution, such as ZoneAlarm, for a firewall.


Turn on that firewall...
http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsXP/home/using/howto/homenet/icf.asp


Make sure you have all the updates (critical) installed from:
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
(Scan for updates, Review and Install)


Get rid of the spy/ad/mal-ware..
(Yes - using MORE than one of these..
I recommend at least the first three. Also..
UPDATE the definitions for them before using.)

Spybot Search and Destroy
http://www.safer-networking.net/

Lavasoft AdAware
http://www.lavasoft.de

CWSShredder
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html

Hijack This!
http://mjc1.com/mirror/hjt/

I also like "The Cleaner" and "SpywareBlaster" and "SpywareGuard".
- http://www.moosoft.com/
- http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/

The first is a PAY product, but useable for 30 days - it has found and
eliminated problems in the past the others did not. The latter two are
prevention mechanisms. SpywareBlaster is a FANTASTIC free product, I
suggest
getting this after you cleanup and keeping it updated as well....

And Assortment of Others:
http://spywareinfo.com/

ALSO - Be sure to IMMUNIZE after you clean up. SpywareBlaster and Spybot
Search and destroy both have these features - use both!


After you cleanup your PC somewhat of spy/ad/mal-ware, verify your antivirus
software is updated and run a full scan of your computer. If you have no
antivirus software - get one NOW! Grisoft AntiVirus:
http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.php


Empty your Temporary Internet Files and shrink the size it stores to about
80 to 120MB (seems to be an optimal size for the normal user)

- Open ONE copy of Internet Explorer.
- Select TOOLS -> Internet Options.
- Under the General tab in the "Temporary Internet Files" section,
do the following:
- Click on "Delete Cookies" (click OK)
- Click on "Settings" and change the
"Amount of disk space to use:" to something between 80MB
and 120MB. (Betting it is MUCH larger right now.)
- Click OK.
- Click on "Delete Files" and select to
"Delete all offline contents" (the checkbox) and click
OK. (If you had a LOT, this could take 2-10 minutes or
more.)
- Once it is done, click OK, close Internet Explorer
- Re-open Internet Explorer.


Uninstall any software you do not use often/ever. (If you have something
installed but never use it, uninstall it.) If you go through Control
Panel -> Add/Remove Programs and see things you seldom if ever use, it is to
your advantage to remove it.


Also, if you are tired of Web Page Pop-Ups/Unders.. You could try the
Google Toolbar.
http://toolbar.google.com/


Stop loading applications at logon.. run MSCONFIG and look under the startup
tab for things you DON'T want to startup! Search the Internet with Google
to discover what things are safe to remove and what things may even be
malware infecting your computer.


Better control your email and lessen the amount of time you spend dealing
with SPAM:
SpamBayes
http://spambayes.sourceforge.net/
or
Spamihilator.
http://www.spamihilator.com