MESSENGER SERVICE

[Rob]

Having just upgraded to XP, which appears to have been successful, I
am now getting unsolicited messages from assorted persons and
organisations when I am online. These were not received when using
Win ME online. How do I stop them??

TVMIA

 

[Wislu Plethora]

Having just upgraded to XP, which appears to have been successful, I
am now getting unsolicited messages from assorted persons and
organisations when I am online. These were not received when using
Win ME online. How do I stop them??

TVMIA

By the time you read this you'll probably also be infected with the Sasser
and/or Blaster worms as well. Get your head out of your a$$ and turn on the
firewall.

 

[Phil]

NEVER go online without a firewall. This is why you're getting these
messenger service ads. A firewall will protect you from certain internet
viruses as well. If you have been online without a firewall, it's almost
certain that your already infected.

 

[clownz]

http://www.zonelabs.com offers a really good free
firewall. You can also download zone alarm pro trial
version and see if you like it..

Make sure your also using an A/V.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Having just upgraded to XP, which appears to have been successful, I
am now getting unsolicited messages from assorted persons and
organisations when I am online. These were not received when using
Win ME online. How do I stop them??

TVMIA

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

This type of spam has become quite common over the 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 may well be open to other threats, such as the Blaster Worm that
swept across the Internet last year and the currently active Sasser
Worm. 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

Help us help you:



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

 

[Kelly]

Hi Rob,

You need to turn turn on the firewall.

To disable the Messenger Service:

Go to Start/Control Panel/Administrative Tools/Services. Double click the
Messenger Service and change Automatic to Disabled, then click the Stop
button.

Or use this automated edit:

Disable Messenger Service (Line 95)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Home PC Firewall Guide
http://www.firewallguide.com/

More information and options here on using a Firewall:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_m.htm#ms

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