annoying pop up

[Guest]

i suffer terribly from constant pop up when on the net. from the second i log
on i get pop up. i'm running verious pop up blockers but it doesn't seem to
work that well, any one got any advise??

 

[wayne]

you have spyware!

try running adaware make sure you update the definitions also make sure you
have anti-virus software and the definitions are up to date! delete all of
your temp files from your browser as well as your cookies before running
adaware.

Safe mode tends to work best

Wayne

 

[Chuck]

i suffer terribly from constant pop up when on the net. from the second i log
on i get pop up. i'm running verious pop up blockers but it doesn't seem to
work that well, any one got any advise??

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

I. "Messenger Service" Pop-Ups

This will be a text only message, and will only hit you when you're online. A
Messenger Service pop-up can't contain a clickable link. The window will be
titled "Messenger Service".

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 Worm that still haunts the Internet. Install and use a decent,
properly configured firewall.

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>

If you're using AOL, you'll either need to find a 3rd party firewall that is
compatible with AOL, or switch to a real ISP that is compatible with the real
Internet. This is because AOL is an on-line content provider that ignores
international networking standards in favor of its own proprietary products, and
has deliberately made its connection software incompatible with both WinXP's
built-in firewall and WinXP's Internet Connection Sharing feature. AOL's
proprietary connection applet is deliberately designed to preclude your
setting/adjusting any of its properties, to include enabling/disabling WinXP's
ICF and ICS.

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 (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:

Gibson Research <http://grc.com/default.htm> (ShieldsUp!)
SecurityMetrics <http://www.securitymetrics.com/portscan.adp>
Sygate Security Scan <http://www.sygatetech.com/>
Symantec Security Check <http://security.symantec.com/ssc/vr_main.asp>

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.


II. Regular Browser Based Pop-Ups

This will be an HTML message, and will only hit you when you're online. A
browser based popup will probably contain clickable links. The window title
will vary.

Get the free Google Toolbar from <http://toolbar.google.com/>. Hosts file
blocking works on this problem also.

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


III. Adware / Spyware

This will be an HTML message, and can hit you when you're online, or offline.
An adware based popup will probably contain clickable links. The window title
will vary.

This is where you need a thorough adware / spyware scan, including CWShredder,
AdAware, Spybot S&D, and HijackThis, with expert advice to interpret the
HijackThis log.

Start by downloading each of the following free tools:
AdAware <http://www.lavasoftusa.com/>
CWShredder <http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4086.html>
CoolWWWSearch.SmartSearch (v1/v2) MiniRemoval
<http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4113.html>
HijackThis <http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=3155>
LSP-Fix and WinsockLSPFix <http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm>
Spybot S&D <http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=download>
Stinger <http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/default.asp?id=stinger>

Install and run Stinger.
<http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/default.asp?id=stinger>

Create a separate folder for HijackThis, such as C:\HijackThis - copy the
downloaded file there. AdAware and Spybot S&D have install routines - run them.
The other downloaded programs can be copied into, and run from, any convenient
folder.

Start by closing all Internet Explorer and Outlook windows, and running
CoolWebSearchSmartKillerMiniRemoval, then CWShredder. Have the latter fix all.

Next, run AdAware. First update it ("Check for updates now"), configure for
full scan (<http://www.lavahelp.com/howto/fullscan/>), then scan ("Start" - "Use
custom scanning options" - "Next"). When scanning finishes, select everything,
and hit Next again.

Next, run Spybot S&D. First update it ("Search for updates"), then run a scan
("Check for problems"). Trust Spybot, and delete everything ("Fix Problems")
that is displayed in Red.

Then, run HijackThis ("Scan"). Do NOT make any changes immediately. Save the
HJT Log.
<http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showtopic=227>

Finally, have your HJT log interpreted by experts at one or more of the
following security forums (and post it, or a link to your forum posts, here):
Aumha: <http://forum.aumha.org/index.php>
Net-Integration: <http://forums.net-integration.net/>
Spyware Info: <http://forums.spywareinfo.com/>
Spyware Warrior: <http://spywarewarrior.com/index.php>
Tom Coyote: <http://forums.tomcoyote.org/>

If removal of any spyware affects your ability to access the internet (some
spyware builds itself into the network software, and its removal may damage your
network), run LSP-Fix and / or WinsockXPFIx.

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.

 

[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 the Google Toolbar from
http://toolbar.google.com/, which is what I use.

3) To deal with pop-ups caused by any sort of "adware" and/or
"spyware,"such as Gator, Comet Cursors, Xupiter, Bonzai Buddy, or
KaZaA, and their remnants, that you've deliberately (but without
understanding the consequences) installed, two products that are
quite effective (at finding and removing this type of scumware) are
Ad-Aware from www.lavasoft.de and SpyBot Search & Destroy from
www.safer-networking.org/. Both have free versions. It's even
possible to use SpyBot Search & Destroy to "immunize" your system
against most future intrusions. I use both and generally perform
manual scans every week or so to clean out cookies, etc.


Bruce Chambers
--
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