WinXP Tons of Popup Ads

[Joseph Paturbo]

I have Windows XP on a HP Pavilion mx75 with a DSL connection. About 2
months ago I started getting tons of popup ads. Many times if I'm away
from the pc for a few hours there are 40-50 popup ads all over the
screen. Is there some setting that must've gotten changed or
something? How can I stop these things? Thanks for any help!

ac.

 

[Willit]

Get a fire wall or turn on the built-in one.

or

If They say "Messenger Service" in the top frame. There
are Several ways to do it.

Disable Method: Start > Run > Type "services.msc" >ok ,
on the services and applications find "Messenger" and
right click on it and choose properties choose "Disable"
in the middle Apply > ok.

or

Start Method : goto Start > Run > Type "msconfig" on the
Start Config. Menu go to Services Tab , go down the list
to "Messenger" uncheck, apply> ok re-boot. you will get a
warning when you re-boot >ok Done.

or

If you don't want it or need it or the Alerter Service
Delete it. Most don't, unless you are on a network, other
than your own. The Alerter Service is used on a network to
send virus alerts. You have to be on a network before
either have any use.

To Delete the Messenger Service:

Go to Start/Run/CMD and type in: sc delete messenger.
Reboot.

or

Or go to Start/Run/Regedit and go to this key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\
Messengerservice Delete Key. You can export it in case you
want it again,
then delete. Reboot

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

There are at least three varieties of pop-ups, and the solutions
vary accordingly. Which specific type(s) is troubling you?

1) Does the title bar of these pop-ups read "Messenger Service?"

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?

2) For regular Internet pop-ups, you might try the free 12Ghosts
Popup-killer from http://12ghosts.com/ghosts/popup.htm, Pop-Up
Stopper from http://www.panicware.com/ or GDS Popup Controller from
http://www.gdsoftware.dk/. Myself, I use Norton Internet Security,
which, in addition to containing Norton Anti-Virus and Personal
Firewall, also blocks many of the pop-up adds on the Internet.

3) For pop-ups caused by some sort of "adware" and/or "spyware,"
such as Gator, Comet Cursors, or Bonzai Buddy, that you've
deliberately installed, two products that are quite effective at
finding and removing scumware are Ad-Aware from www.lavasoft.de and
SpyBot Search and Destroy from http://security.kolla.de/. Both have
free evaluation versions.


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

 

[Joseph Paturbo]

Greetings --

There are at least three varieties of pop-ups, and the solutions
vary accordingly. Which specific type(s) is troubling you?

1) Does the title bar of these pop-ups read "Messenger Service?"

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?

2) For regular Internet pop-ups, you might try the free 12Ghosts
Popup-killer from http://12ghosts.com/ghosts/popup.htm, Pop-Up
Stopper from http://www.panicware.com/ or GDS Popup Controller from
http://www.gdsoftware.dk/. Myself, I use Norton Internet Security,
which, in addition to containing Norton Anti-Virus and Personal
Firewall, also blocks many of the pop-up adds on the Internet.

3) For pop-ups caused by some sort of "adware" and/or "spyware,"
such as Gator, Comet Cursors, or Bonzai Buddy, that you've
deliberately installed, two products that are quite effective at
finding and removing scumware are Ad-Aware from www.lavasoft.de and
SpyBot Search and Destroy from http://security.kolla.de/. Both have
free evaluation versions.


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

Thanks both of you...I downloaded that Ad-Aware about 14 hours
ago...not one pup-up so far. I'll also get the firewall...my wife
instralled Norton Anti-Virus like a year ago...I assume there's some
other Norton thing I'll have to buy? Thanks again!

ac

 

[EGMcCann]

Thanks both of you...I downloaded that Ad-Aware about 14 hours
ago...not one pup-up so far. I'll also get the firewall...my wife
instralled Norton Anti-Virus like a year ago...I assume there's some
other Norton thing I'll have to buy? Thanks again!

No "need" to buy anything. There are good, free firewalls... such as
ZoneAlarm. Exceptional bit of software, that...

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

You're welcome.

WinXP's built-in firewall is fine at stopping incoming attacks, and
hiding your ports from probes. It doesn't give you any alarms to tell
you that it is working, though. What WinXP also does not do, is
protect you from any Trojans or spyware that you might download and
install inadvertently. It doesn't monitor out-going traffic at all,
much less block (or at least ask you about) the bad or the
questionable out-going packets.

ZoneAlarm, Kerio, or Sygate are much better, and there are a free
versions available. Personally, I've been very happy with Symantec's
Norton Internet Security 2002 (NIS 2004 is now available), which
includes Norton AntiVirus, Norton Personal Firewall, parental
controls, privacy controls, and ad blocking. (Just the elimination of
many pop-up ads on the Internet made the price worth-while to me.)


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