Stopping messanger popups

[matt]

I'm assuming these messanger popups that say "want to
stop annoying popups like these?" are caused from spyware
that my computer illiterate mother and sister unknowingly
installed...

I'm on Windows XP, and seeing as you can't uninstall
files by pressing "delete". you have to go Program Filesthis list many times, but I can't find anything
that resembles to be spyware.

Any suggestions on how to remove it, without buying
software?

 

[Jim Byrd]

Matt - These are most likely due to open NetBios ports 135, 137-139 and
445. You really need to block these with a firewall as a general
protection measure. You can stop the popups by turning off Messenger
Service; however, this still leaves you vulnerable.

See: Messenger Service Window That Contains an Internet Advertisement
Appears http://support.microsoft.com/?id=330904 which identifies reasons
to keep this service and steps to take if you do.

You can test your system and follow the 'Prevention' link to get
additional information here:
http://www.mynetwatchman.com/winpopuptester.asp Unless you have very
good reasons to keep this active, it should be turned off in Win2k and
XP. Go here and do what it says:
http://www.itc.virginia.edu/desktop/docs/messagepopup/ or, even better,
get MessageSubtract, free, here, which will give you flexible control of
the service and viewing of these messages:
http://www.intermute.com/messagesubtract/help.html Recommended.

(FWIW, ZoneAlarm's default Internet Zone firewall configuration blocks
the necessary ports to prevent this use of Messenger Service. I don't
know the situation with regard to other firewalls.)

--
Regards, Jim Byrd, MS-MVP
Please respond in original thread in Newsgroup.




In [email protected], matt typed:

I'm assuming these messanger popups that say "want to
stop annoying popups like these?" are caused from spyware
that my computer illiterate mother and sister unknowingly
installed...

I'm on Windows XP, and seeing as you can't uninstall
files by pressing "delete". you have to go Program Filesthis list many times, but I can't find anything
that resembles to be spyware.

Any suggestions on how to remove it, without buying
software?

 

[James]

Your reply has just thrown me for a loop... I've read
several articles that point blank state, that "Microsoft"
put this "Messenger Service" within XP & 2000... That it
in no way shape or form is an kind of "Spy-ware"... so
what gives..?

James, the very dissapointed XP user...!

-----Original Message-----
Matt - These are most likely due to open NetBios ports 135, 137-139 and
445. You really need to block these with a firewall as a general
protection measure. You can stop the popups by turning off Messenger
Service; however, this still leaves you vulnerable.

See: Messenger Service Window That Contains an Internet Advertisement
Appears http://support.microsoft.com/?id=330904 which identifies reasons
to keep this service and steps to take if you do.

You can test your system and follow the 'Prevention' link to get
additional information here:
http://www.mynetwatchman.com/winpopuptester.asp Unless you have very
good reasons to keep this active, it should be turned off in Win2k and
XP. Go here and do what it says:
http://www.itc.virginia.edu/desktop/docs/messagepopup/ or, even better,
get MessageSubtract, free, here, which will give you flexible control of
the service and viewing of these messages:
http://www.intermute.com/messagesubtract/help.html Recommended.

(FWIW, ZoneAlarm's default Internet Zone firewall configuration blocks
the necessary ports to prevent this use of Messenger Service. I don't
know the situation with regard to other firewalls.)

--
Regards, Jim Byrd, MS-MVP
Please respond in original thread in Newsgroup.




In [email protected], matt typed:

I'm assuming these messanger popups that say "want to
stop annoying popups like these?" are caused from spyware
that my computer illiterate mother and sister unknowingly
installed...

I'm on Windows XP, and seeing as you can't uninstall
files by pressing "delete". you have to go Program Files

Add/Remove Hardware to uninstall. I have gone down

this list many times, but I can't find anything
that resembles to be spyware.

Any suggestions on how to remove it, without buying
software?

.

 

[rifleman]

In

Your reply has just thrown me for a loop... I've read
several articles that point blank state, that "Microsoft"
put this "Messenger Service" within XP & 2000... That it
in no way shape or form is an kind of "Spy-ware"... so
what gives..?

James, the very dissapointed XP user...!

Its a utility for broadcasting admin messages on a network... (generally)

 

[Patrick L. Brown]

So why put this in XP Home?

In

Its a utility for broadcasting admin messages on a network... (generally)


--
(I may be wrong...I usually am....)
Google is your Friend
Email address deliberately false to avoid spam:
www.gbpcomputing.co.uk

 

[rifleman]

In

So why put this in XP Home?

Home can join a workgroup......

 

[Jim Byrd]

Hi James - Messenger Service is not per se Spyware - It provides a
messaging capability which is useful for local intranets and is also
sometimes (albeit nowdays infrequently) used by some applications to
provide popup messaages to users. However, it can also be (and now
frequently is) used to introduce spam via this open NetBios channel.
For a single user home computer, it normally isn't needed and can be
turned off which will eliminate the spam popups. This DOESN'T, however,
remove the vulnerability of having these ports open, when in fact they
aren't needed, since they can be perverted in other ways as well, some
of which can be much more damaging than just a spam popup.

--
Regards, Jim Byrd, MS-MVP
Please respond in original thread in Newsgroup.




In [email protected], James typed:

Your reply has just thrown me for a loop... I've read
several articles that point blank state, that "Microsoft"
put this "Messenger Service" within XP & 2000... That it
in no way shape or form is an kind of "Spy-ware"... so
what gives..?

James, the very dissapointed XP user...!

-----Original Message-----
Matt - These are most likely due to open NetBios ports 135, 137-139 and
445. You really need to block these with a firewall as a general
protection measure. You can stop the popups by turning off Messenger
Service; however, this still leaves you vulnerable.

See: Messenger Service Window That Contains an Internet Advertisement
Appears http://support.microsoft.com/?id=330904 which identifies reasons
to keep this service and steps to take if you do.

You can test your system and follow the 'Prevention' link to get
additional information here:
http://www.mynetwatchman.com/winpopuptester.asp Unless you have very
good reasons to keep this active, it should be turned off in Win2k and
XP. Go here and do what it says:
http://www.itc.virginia.edu/desktop/docs/messagepopup/ or, even better,
get MessageSubtract, free, here, which will give you flexible control of
the service and viewing of these messages:
http://www.intermute.com/messagesubtract/help.html Recommended.

(FWIW, ZoneAlarm's default Internet Zone firewall configuration blocks
the necessary ports to prevent this use of Messenger Service. I don't
know the situation with regard to other firewalls.)

--
Regards, Jim Byrd, MS-MVP
Please respond in original thread in Newsgroup.




In [email protected], matt typed:

I'm assuming these messanger popups that say "want to
stop annoying popups like these?" are caused from spyware
that my computer illiterate mother and sister unknowingly
installed...

I'm on Windows XP, and seeing as you can't uninstall
files by pressing "delete". you have to go Program Files
Add/Remove Hardware to uninstall. I have gone down
this list many times, but I can't find anything
that resembles to be spyware.

Any suggestions on how to remove it, without buying
software?

.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

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

This a 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


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'm assuming these messanger popups that say "want to
stop annoying popups like these?" are caused from spyware
that my computer illiterate mother and sister unknowingly
installed...

I'm on Windows XP, and seeing as you can't uninstall
files by pressing "delete". you have to go Program Filesthis list many times, but I can't find anything
that resembles to be spyware.

Any suggestions on how to remove it, without buying
software?