Messenger Service Popups

[John]

I have recently started to receive pop up adds through
messenger service It says "WARNING: YOUR MESSENGER
SERVICE IS WIDE OPEN TO THE ENTIRE INTERNET" I have tried
every thing I know to try and stop it including watching
my log through my internet security Norton and have found
the site sending the information but I tried to block
their address and that didn't even work. It is very
annoying because it seems to happen every 10 mins or so.
The message tells me to visit a web site to purchase a
popup blocker but I feel it's through a glitch in MSN
Messenger. Can you help. It is very annoying

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

John;
These ads are using Messenger Service.
Messenger Service is a valuable tool many use.
Like many tools, it can be exploited.

No need to pay for the fix.
For Messenger Service ads:
Your Norton firewall is disabled or not functioning properly.
You need to install or enable a firewall:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=330904
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/communicate/stopspam.asp
Disabling Messenger Service can be a good idea, but it does not solve
the real problem.
The ads are not the real problem, the ads are only a symptom.
The real problem is open ports that allow unwanted traffic into the
computer.
Disabling Messenger does nothing for the open ports.
The firewall controls the traffic.

Internet Connection Firewall will not work if you have AOL.
AOL is not compatible with Windows XP Internet Connection Firewall
(ICF)
If you have AOL, you should contact AOL and/or get a 3rd party
firewall:
http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/home.jsp
http://www.symantec.com/sabu/nis/npf/

 

[JS]

What ports must be closed. I have a linksys router and I
would like to block the ports to see if that works.

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

JS;
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=330904
"The Messenger service uses UDP ports 135, 137, and 138; TCP ports
135, 139, and 445; and an ephemeral (that is, short-lived) port number
greater than 1024."

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

This type of spam has become quite common over the past several
months, and unintentionally serves as a valid security "alert." It
demonstrates that you haven't been taking sufficient precautions while
connected to the Internet. Your data probably hasn't been compromised
by these specific advertisements, but if you're open to this exploit,
you may well be open to other threats, such as the Blaster Worm that
recently swept cross the Internet. Install and use a decent,
properly configured firewall. (Merely disabling the messenger
service, as some people recommend, only hides the symptom, and does
little or nothing to truly secure your machine.) And ignoring or just
"putting up with" the security gap represented by these messages is
particularly foolish.

Messenger Service of Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;168893

Messenger Service Window That Contains an Internet Advertisement
Appears
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=330904

Stopping Advertisements with Messenger Service Titles
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/communicate/stopspam.asp

Blocking Ads, Parasites, and Hijackers with a Hosts File
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

Oh, and be especially wary of people who advise you to do nothing
more than disable the messenger service. Disabling the messenger
service, by itself, is a "head in the sand" approach to computer
security. The real problem is _not_ the messenger service pop-ups;
they're actually providing a useful, if annoying, service by acting as
a security alert. The true problem is the unsecured computer, and
you've been advised to merely turn off the warnings. How is this
helpful?


Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH

 

[Alun Jones [MS MVP]]

What ports must be closed. I have a linksys router and I
would like to block the ports to see if that works.

Jupiter's already answered which ports should be closed - but it might be
better if you were to approach it from the other direction. Close down all
ports. Open up the ones that you can't do without. That way, if an exploit
comes out tomorrow for port 57345, you're protected.

Alun.
~~~~

[Please don't email posters, if a Usenet response is appropriate.]