a message box "security alert" pops up. (i think fake)

[charles]

a messege box pops up says "security bulliten" etc....
and it says go to www.windowspatch.net. i dont think that
this is a real alert. how can i get rid of it?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

It means someone is attempting to con you into paying
$19.95 for a freely available Microsoft update....ignore it!

Download the patch for free:

Security Update for Microsoft Windows XP: KB828035
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...09-4B0A-4438-A0B9-5B67414C3833&displaylang=en

I would strongly recommend installing Service Pack 2
for Windows XP:

Top 10 Reasons to Install Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2)
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/topten.mspx

Windows XP Service Pack 2 (Direct Download):
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...be-3b8e-4f30-8245-9e368d3cdb5a&displaylang=en

Windows XP Service Pack 2 Checklist
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/spackins.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Jupiter Jones]

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| A messege box pops up says "security bulliten" etc....
| and it says go to www.windowspatch.net. i dont think that
| this is a real alert. how can i get rid of it?

 

[Blane]

Charles,

This does indeed sound fake. Do not click on the link or download any
applications from this page.

To answer what best to do, we need to look at a few things. Does this box
appear when you are visiting a certain website? If so a popup blocker like
the one in XP SP2 will stop it. Or another third party popup blocker such
as the one the Google toolbar installs.

If this is warning is popping up during normal operations of your computer,
I would recommend running a full virus scan of the system and then using a
spyware detection tool. Some of these include SpyBot Search and Destroy
(http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html) or Adaware
(http://www.noadware.net/?hop=wintech). Install these, ensure they are
updated with the latest spyware/adware definitions and scan your system.
Follow their recommendations for removing certain items they find.

Next, if you are able to access the WWW after cleaning the system, ensure
that you are up to date with all Microsoft security updates. This can be
done through the Windows Update feature, by opening IE, going to Tools ->
Windows Updates. Make sure that you enable pop-ups on this page if you
have a pop-up blocker.

Best regards,
Blane Clark


This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
You assume all risk for your use.
(C) 2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved

 

[Bruce Chambers]

a messege box pops up says "security bulliten" etc....
and it says go to www.windowspatch.net. i dont think that
this is a real alert. how can i get rid of it?

It's a scam, plain and simple. It's from a very unscrupulous
"business." They're trying to sell you patches that Microsoft
provides free-of-charge, and using a very intrusive means of
advertising. It's also demonstrating that your PC is very unsecure.

This type of spam has become quite common over the past year or
so, 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 most definitely open to other threats, such as the Blaster,
Welchia, and Sasser Worms that still haunt 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

Whichever firewall you decide upon, be sure to ensure UDP ports 135,
137, and 138 and TCP ports 135, 139, and 445 are all blocked. You
may also disable Inbound NetBIOS over TCP/IP). You'll have
to follow the instructions from firewall's manufacturer for the
specific steps.

You can test your firewall at:

Symantec Security Check
http://security.symantec.com/ssc/vr_main.asp?langid=ie&venid=sym&plfid=23&pkj=GPVHGBYNCJEIMXQKCDT

Security Scan - Sygate Online Services
http://www.sygatetech.com/

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

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