MESSENGER SERVICE POP-UP WINDOW AT START-UP

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jose F Guerra
  • Start date Start date
J

Jose F Guerra

I have started getting a pop-up window when I start-up Windows 2000
(5.00.2195 Service Pack 4). The title of the window says "Messenger
Service". I have no clue how this got started but it is very annoying since
it happens every time I start-up the system.

I recall having a similar problem some time ago but I can't find the
solution to this problem. Any advice? Thanks!
 
Jose said:
I have started getting a pop-up window when I start-up Windows 2000
(5.00.2195 Service Pack 4). The title of the window says "Messenger
Service". I have no clue how this got started but it is very annoying since
it happens every time I start-up the system.

I recall having a similar problem some time ago but I can't find the
solution to this problem. Any advice? Thanks!
Click to expand...

Open Services from Administrative Tools and change the startup type for
Messenger Service to Manual.
 
Jose said:
I have started getting a pop-up window when I start-up Windows 2000
(5.00.2195 Service Pack 4). The title of the window says "Messenger
Service". I have no clue how this got started but it is very
annoying since it happens every time I start-up the system.

I recall having a similar problem some time ago but I can't find the
solution to this problem. Any advice? Thanks!
Click to expand...

And what does the contents of the window say?
 
The content itself varies but what is interesting is that context of the
message seems to be a marketing type message saying how annoying pop-ups are
and offers a solution by going to a web site (which is always different but
they do exist). These web sites seem to have utilities to eliminate pop-ups
(which I have NOT downloaded of course). I scanned both my hard drives for
viruses and found nothing.

Also, I have a cable modem service thorugh TIme Warner, use Norton Internet
Security, and I have hub from Netgear that also provides some firewall
protection.

Someone answered my original thread earlier saying that I should "Open
Services from Administrative Tools and change the startup type for Messenger
Service to Manual" (which I have not done yet) but this person in turn was
replied by someone else saying I needed a firewall (which I DO have).

Thoughts? Thanks!
 
PS:
There is ONE consistent thing about the messages I get. The first 2 lines
say:

"Message from SECURITY ALERT to COMPUTER USER on mm/dd/yyy hh:mm:ss"
"WANT TO STOP ALL THESE MESSANGER POPUPS?"

The title of the window is still "Messenger Service".

Thanks!
 
Open Services from Administrative Tools and change the startup type for
Messenger Service to Manual.
Click to expand...

Not sufficient to protect your system. You must stop "services.exe" from
accepting unsolicited connections from the Internet. Most firewalls will do
that.

With ZoneAlarm, you must explicitly say "no" when asked if your want
"services and controller app" to accept such messages (act as a server).

With other firewalls, there should be a similar specification.
 
You need a firewall. 'Messenger spam', is not in itself harmful,
but is symptomatic of a larger problem - your computer has ports open from
the Internet.

You can disable the Messenger service, but that is unwise as a solution as
you'll still have the underlying problem that caused you to get the messages
in the first place - consider the messages a useful warning that you have no
protection from the Internet.

For a standalone machine, see www.sygate.com for a free personal firewall.

See http://securityadmin.info/faq.htm for more info.
 
since it seems that others have not read your post, or failed to comprehend
it completely, I will add what I believe to be a relevant contribution to
the thread.

You say this happens on start-up. This does not suggest that your computer
is vulnerable to internet attacks. While all the information about these
messages being valid indicators of more serious vulnerabilities are true,
and should be taken into consideration, i dont believe they apply to "this
specific problem". What it might suggest is that you have at some point
downloaded some piece of crap-ware that is set to do something when the comp
boots, and delievers its tirade if evil using the messenger service.

So.. check the following registry key;

HKLM>Software>Microsoft>Windows>CurrentVersion>Run

and check to see if there are any entries in there which you cannot
identify. Each entry should have the "path" to the executable, which will
show up in the Data field on the right of the screen. Common offenders are
named like familiar tools (notepad.exe, explorer.exe, etc.) so dont let
these fool you. If they are running from a very strange place, they are
suspect. delete or change something in the data field and reboot. if it the
messages continue to appear, then that wasnt the right one. If the messages
cease to bother you then the chances are that you nabbed it.

This is meant as a guideline, not a literal tutorial... its only meant to
give you some other angle of approach to this problem.

NuTs
 
Greetings --

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

This particular "sales method" is strikingly similar to the
"protection" rackets offered to small businesses by organized
criminals. Yes, it's a scam; no reputable business would need to
resort to extortion. Particularly since they're trying to sell you a
type of protection that is already available to you free of charge.

This type of spam has become quite common over the past few
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. Install and use a decent,
properly configured firewall. (Disabling the messenger service, as
some people recommend, only hides the symptom, and does nothing to
secure your machine.) And ignoring or just "putting up with" these
messages and the problem they represent 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 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 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?

Equivalent Scenario: You over-exert your shoulder at work or
play, causing bursitis. After weeks of annoying and sometimes
excruciating pain whenever you try to reach over your head, you go to
a doctor and say, while demonstrating the motion, "Doc, it hurts when
I do this." The doctor, being as helpful as some of your respondents,
replies, "Well, don't do that."

I'm beginning to think that the people deliberately posting such
bad advice are hacker-wannabes who have no true interest in helping
you secure your system, but would rather give you a false sense of
security while ensuring that your computer is still open to
exploitation.


Bruce Chambers

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