Message Pop Ups

[Bob Ross]

Since installing Windows XP I have been inundated with
Messenger service Pop Ups. My antivirus is current and
have a fire wall running This is extremely annoying.
Thank you ..

 

[Jason]

Since installing Windows XP I have been inundated with
Messenger service Pop Ups. My antivirus is current and
have a fire wall running This is extremely annoying.
Thank you ..

Bob scroll down or do a search, this gets asked on a daily basis and is
also answered in the hourly posted FAQ.

Install a firewall and block the ports the messenger service uses.

Jason

 

[Jeremy]

Your firewall obviously isn't working very well. Most firewall programs
including XP's built in firewall block the messenger pop ups.

 

[Jason]

I use dialup and am not on the Internet all the time. If
you get a respones would you please forward it to me.
Thank you in advance. Yes, it is extremely annoying.

Bob Altman

Bob scroll down and take a look. This gets asked and answered daily.
Install and configure a firewall to block the ports that the messenger
service uses.

Jason

 

[Jeremy]

Bob just because you aren't on the internet all the time doesn't mean you
don't need a firewall. You are getting those because you don't have a
firewall. So think of each popup as a hacker trying to break into your
system. Because more than likely along with the popups there is a hacker
trying to.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

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?



Bruce Chambers

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