messenger service popups

L

lizleemcc

Does anyone know how to get rid of messenger service
popups? They don't go away, and are hanging up my pc. I
would think that microsoft xp would not have this problem.
 
R

Ramesh [MS-MVP]

If the title bar reads as MESSENGER SERVICE, then it the world famous
Messenger SPAM. Install a Firewall to prevent the pop-ups. Enable the
Internet Connection Firewall in Windows XP:

1. Open Network Connections
2. Click the Dial-up, LAN or High-Speed Internet connection that you want to
protect, and then, under Network Tasks, click Change settings of this
connection.
3. On the Advanced tab, under Internet Connection Firewall, select the
Protect my computer and network by limiting or preventing access to this
computer from the Internet check box.

This blocks the TCP ports responsible for Messenger data tranmissions and
prevents Pop-ups.

More Reading:
===========

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


--
Regards,

Ramesh (MS-MVP)
(e-mail address removed)
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

~ Please reply to newsgroup ~


message Does anyone know how to get rid of messenger service
popups? They don't go away, and are hanging up my pc. I
would think that microsoft xp would not have this problem.
 
K

Kevin Davis³

If the title bar reads as MESSENGER SERVICE, then it the world famous
Messenger SPAM. Install a Firewall to prevent the pop-ups. Enable the
Internet Connection Firewall in Windows XP:

1. Open Network Connections
2. Click the Dial-up, LAN or High-Speed Internet connection that you want to
protect, and then, under Network Tasks, click Change settings of this
connection.
3. On the Advanced tab, under Internet Connection Firewall, select the
Protect my computer and network by limiting or preventing access to this
computer from the Internet check box.

This blocks the TCP ports responsible for Messenger data tranmissions and
prevents Pop-ups.

More Reading:
===========

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
Click to expand...


Don't forget this link which is extremely important too:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/security/bulletin/ms03-043.asp
 
B

Bruce Chambers

Greetings --

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

This type of spam has become quite common over the past year, 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 almost 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

--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH
 
B

Bruce Chambers

Greetings --

Please stop deliberately posting potentially harmful advice.

Disabling the messenger service, by itself, is a not a viable
computer security solution. Doing nothing than that more leaves the
PC vulnerable to threats such as the W32.Blaster.Worm.

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're
only advice, however well-intended, was to 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 you are, replies, "Well,
don't do that."

To secure the PC properly, short of disconnecting it from the
Internet, is necessary to install and *properly* configure a firewall;
just installing one and letting it's default settings handle things is
no good.


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
 
I

Ian & Lorraine

Bruce Chambers said:
Greetings --

Please stop deliberately posting potentially harmful advice.

Disabling the messenger service, by itself, is a not a viable
computer security solution. Doing nothing than that more leaves the
PC vulnerable to threats such as the W32.Blaster.Worm.

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're
only advice, however well-intended, was to 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 you are, replies, "Well,
don't do that."

To secure the PC properly, short of disconnecting it from the
Internet, is necessary to install and *properly* configure a firewall;
just installing one and letting it's default settings handle things is
no good.


Bruce Chambers
Click to expand...

I disagree with your harsh assessment that I am deliberately posting harmful
advice. You are of course correct that one needs to have a firewall up and
running and properly configured, etc., but I didn't feel I was being asked
to provide a Security 101 lesson. I simply answered his immediate question.
Shutting down the Messenger Service is NOT a HARMFUL thing to do- quite the
contrary from what I've read.

To quote Steve Gibson on the topic: "Even if your Windows 2000 or XP machine
is safe behind a personal firewall or NAT router, shutting down the
Messenger Service is a good idea."

Regards,
Ian.
 
L

Larry Samuels MS-MVP XP \(Shell/User\)

It IS harmful if a firewall is not in place--the messenger spam serves as a
good warning that your PC is wide open to attack.

BTW--quoting SG won't gain you any points with anyone that knows anything
about security <VBEG>

--
Larry Samuels MS-MVP (Windows-Shell/User)
Associate Expert
Unofficial FAQ for Windows Server 2003 at
http://home.earthlink.net/~larrysamuels/WS2003FAQ.htm
Expert Zone -
 
I

Ian & Lorraine

Larry Samuels MS-MVP XP (Shell/User) said:
It IS harmful if a firewall is not in place--the messenger spam serves as a
good warning that your PC is wide open to attack.

BTW--quoting SG won't gain you any points with anyone that knows anything
about security <VBEG>

--
Larry Samuels MS-MVP (Windows-Shell/User)
Associate Expert
Unofficial FAQ for Windows Server 2003 at
http://home.earthlink.net/~larrysamuels/WS2003FAQ.htm
Expert Zone -
Click to expand...

I understand your explanation and you are of course correct; that my
incomplete response was perhaps misleadingly incomplete in that it would
help create a false sense of security.

Thanks,
Ian.
 
J

John E. Carty

Larry Samuels MS-MVP XP (Shell/User) said:
It IS harmful if a firewall is not in place--the messenger spam serves as a
good warning that your PC is wide open to attack.


BTW--quoting SG won't gain you any points with anyone that knows anything
about security <VBEG>
Click to expand...

You got that right :)
 
B

Bruce Chambers

Greetings --

If you listen very carefully to everything Steve Gibson says about
computer security, and then do the exact opposite, you can't go wrong.

Anyone who advises anyone to simply turn off a security alert,
rather than addressing the real problem, is offering harmful advice.

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
 
B

Bruce Chambers

Greetings --

Not if the firewall is properly configured.

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
 
R

Ramesh [MS-MVP]

Hi Bruce, Another advisory here to watch:

Buffer Overrun in Messenger Service Could Allow Code Execution
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/security/
bulletin/ms03-043.asp

--
Regards,

Ramesh (MS-MVP)
(e-mail address removed)
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

~ Please reply to newsgroup ~


Greetings --

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

This type of spam has become quite common over the past year, 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 almost 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

--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH
 
K

Kevin Davis³

It IS harmful if a firewall is not in place--the messenger spam serves as a
good warning that your PC is wide open to attack.
Click to expand...

It doesn't serve as a "good warning". It *may possibly* serve as a
warning. Advising someone to leave it on as a warning, allowing them
to believe that it will always warn them with their "PC is wide open
to attack" when it will not always warn them when this condition is
so.

In addition, the Messenger Service has a very serious vulnerability
for which there are already exploits for. Advising them to leave it
on without also advising to absolutely make sure they patch it is
terrible.

Also, just because it is patched doesn't mean additional unknown
vulnerabilities don't still exist in this service. The bad guys are
just as likely to find out about it first than the good guys, so
leaving a service like this on strictly for the weak alert it provides
is poor advice.

Put a firewall up first. If you can determine that you don't need the
Messenger Service. Turn it off.
 
K

Kevin Davis³

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?
Click to expand...

It is helpful to turn off the service to avoid vulnerabilities like
this:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/security/bulletin/ms03-043.asp

Certainly install and configure a firewall first, but then see if you
can determine if you need the Messenger Service. If you don't, turn
it off to avoid the chance in being vulnerable to things like the
above link. If you really need it, make sure it's patched.
 
K

Kevin Davis³

Greetings --

Not if the firewall is properly configured.

Bruce Chambers
Click to expand...

Firewalls are not bulletproof. Hackers avoid going through firewalls
if possible but doing so is not impossible - even with a properly
configured firewall.

Personal firewalls are software susceptible to vulnerabilities just
like all other software. To have complete and utter confidence that
there is no way a hacker can get through your firewall is putting all
your eggs in one basket and would not be something any security expert
worth their salt would be caught dead doing.
 

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