Pop ups!

[Sarah]

I keep getting pop ups in the form of windows warning
applets advertising porn web addresses! My PC has never
visited any porn sites, how do I stop this and how did it
start? Please help, I have two young children to protect
from this stuff!

 

[Don Varnau]

Sarah,
Check for adware, spyware, parasites.

Dealing with Unwanted Spyware and Parasites:
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
Also note the many security tips on that page and at
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/security.htm

Don

 

[H Leboeuf]

How to Prevent Windows Messenger from Running on a Windows XP-Based Computer
By default, Windows XP Professional and Windows XP Home Edition install
Windows Messenger, and the user interface does not provide a way to remove
or to uninstall Windows Messenger.
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=302089 (4.4, 4.5, 4.6. 9/23/2003)


Messenger Service Window That Contains an Internet Advertisement Appears
A Messenger service window appears that contains an Internet advertisement
that is similar to the following text:
Messenger Service
Message from source to your_computer_name.ISP_name on date time Message Text
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=330904 (XP/W2000 11/4/2003)


Stop Messenger SPAM
http://www.spywareinfo.com/articles/spam/messenger.php
--

If is some other type of parasites:
Dealing with Unwanted Spyware, Parasites, Toolbars and Search Engines
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm


Henri Leboeuf
Web page: http://www.generation.net/~hleboeuf/index.htm