Microsoft Antispyware & NETBIOS Messenger

[Truls Hjelle]

My reply is at the bottom.

In (e-mail address removed),
Truls Hjelle <[email protected]> had
this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:


ALL patches? You have SP2? As you were told in the other
message there's a specific group for MSAS. Keep in mind
that it is a beta product but here's what I'd check...

Start > Run > "services.msc" (without the quotes) >
find "Messenger" service > right click > disable it...
Install SP2 as it will be turned off by default. Use a
firewall because just turning off the service doesn't
mean the hole has been closed, it only means that you
won't see it which is far worse than a hole that you do
see and thus monitor.

You mention that you have all the patches which implies
that you're using service pack two and it should be
disabled automatically unless you, another person, or an
application enabled it again. Assuming you didn't enable
it as you'd then probably know what it was you're poking
about with or you probably shouldn't press those buttons
then it's obviously someone/something else that has
enabled it.

Galen
--

"But there are always some lunatics about. It would be a
dull world without them."

Sherlock Holmes

Messenger is disabled. SP2 is in place. I use ZoneAlarm
in stead of the Windows Firewall. When I go to Windows
Update there are absolutely no patches to install (not
even optional). Yet, when I reboot, Microsoft Antispyware
asks me to disable "NETBIOS Messenger". If I answer NO to
its suggestion, Messenger is Automatic. If I answer YES,
it is disabled. Yet the whole process repeats itself.

) Truls

 

[Bill Sanderson]

My reply is at the bottom.

Messenger is disabled. SP2 is in place. I use ZoneAlarm
in stead of the Windows Firewall. When I go to Windows
Update there are absolutely no patches to install (not
even optional). Yet, when I reboot, Microsoft Antispyware
asks me to disable "NETBIOS Messenger". If I answer NO to
its suggestion, Messenger is Automatic. If I answer YES,
it is disabled. Yet the whole process repeats itself.

) Truls

Nothing in SP2 prevents the user or an administrator from setting the
Messenger service to automatic. I have it running on some machines in
domain situations--both the backup service and UPS services use it to
communicate with admins and users.

I'm uncertain, I'm afraid, about whether simply applying SP2 should disable
the Messenger service. However, the fact that Microsoft Antispyware finds
the service Enabled doesn't necessarily have anything to do with whether or
not SP2 disabled it.

 

[Guest]

My reply is at the bottom.

-----Original Message-----


Nothing in SP2 prevents the user or an administrator from setting the
Messenger service to automatic. I have it running on some machines in
domain situations--both the backup service and UPS services use it to
communicate with admins and users.

I'm uncertain, I'm afraid, about whether simply applying SP2 should disable
the Messenger service. However, the fact that Microsoft Antispyware finds
the service Enabled doesn't necessarily have anything to do with whether or
not SP2 disabled it.

My concern is that although the Messenger service is
disabled by the Microsoft Antispyware, it turns out to be
Automatic each time I reboot. I suspect that Symantec
AntiVirus turns it on, but I am definitely not sure.

Does anyone know?

 

[Bill Sanderson]

My concern is that although the Messenger service is
disabled by the Microsoft Antispyware, it turns out to be
Automatic each time I reboot. I suspect that Symantec
AntiVirus turns it on, but I am definitely not sure.

Does anyone know?

I've never seen this behavior, and I have machines with several versions of
NAV in various small offices--both the corporate Symantic antivirus, and the
consumer versions.

I think it is pretty unlikely, but it could also be a group policy setting
in a domain--if that applies.