Jeff said:
I am running Win2K on a machine that I just started using - it has been on
the shelf for a few years.
I keep getting these pop up messages that say there are problems with my
machine and that I should go to a certain site for the fix.
Examples are:
www.spw7.com - for registry/file system problems
www.errorfixer.com - for registry/file system problems
www.updatenow.org - "Buffer Overflow in messenger service"
www.antieye.com - spyware
I still get these messages even after I have upgraded to SP4.
I am assuming that these messages are malicious, so I have not tried any of
them. Am I correct?
As you've correctly concluded, 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 couple of
years, 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
Help us help you:
You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH
