web pop ups

[Gary]

Just upgraded system to Win XP and now get many internet
pop-up ads. ALso found Spy-Bot Virus, and having trouble
cleaning it out completely.

 

[Mack]

A Firewall will stop the popups - Sygate or ZoneAlarm will
do the job, you can download either for free.

Mack

 

[Perdita X. Nitt]

Just upgraded system to Win XP and now get many internet
pop-up ads. ALso found Spy-Bot Virus, and having trouble
cleaning it out completely.

The below is shamelessly stolen from Bruce Chambers - who explains things
more eloquently than I ever could.

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 1: Somewhere in a house, a small fire starts,
and sets off the smoke alarm. You, not immediately seeing any
fire/smoke, complain about the noise of the smoke detector, and are
advised to remove the smoke detector's battery and go back to sleep.

Equivalent Scenario 2: 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.

 

[Ted]

The below is shamelessly stolen from Bruce Chambers - who explains things
more eloquently than I ever could.

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

This particular "sales method" is

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

 

[Persistent Itch Snot]

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

I happen to have that copyrighted. Stop cutting and pasting my content!

--
Persistent Itch Twit

Please help us.
http://perdita.wasarrested.com/ps/F
Go look for help somewhere else.
Please note that the reply address is fake,
as is my feigned intellect and humanity.
Keep all posts to yourself as private and public
requests for assistance will be ignored for the
express purpose of the furtherance of my telling
you off, and my penchant for gibbering on wildly
about nothing. Thank you.

 

[Perdita X. Nitt]

I happen to have that copyrighted. Stop cutting and pasting my
content!

Oh *do* go away, you bore me. It isn't yours - it belongs to Bruce Chambers
and, unless you're Bruce (which you're not - as he would never post using a
false name) then I shall continue to do so. If Bruce wishes me to stop using
it then I'm sure he will ask me himself, and I will gladly do so. But, if he
'stole' it from you, then what are you doing having a go at me about it,
troll?!

Abuse report sent to (e-mail address removed).

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Correct on all counts but one. As I posted it on a public
"forum," without first bothering to secure a copyright, it's doesn't
really "belong" to me anymore, either.

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

Oh *do* go away, you bore me. It isn't yours - it belongs to Bruce Chambers
and, unless you're Bruce (which you're not - as he would never post using a
false name) then I shall continue to do so. If Bruce wishes me to stop using
it then I'm sure he will ask me himself, .....

Snipped...

 

[Persistent Itch Snot]

Oh *do* go away, you bore me. It isn't yours - it belongs to Bruce
Chambers and, unless you're Bruce (which you're not - as he would never
post using a false name) then I shall continue to do so. If Bruce wishes
me to stop using it then I'm sure he will ask me himself, and I will
gladly do so. But, if he 'stole' it from you, then what are you doing
having a go at me about it, troll?!

Someone else already owns the "ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ" stuff? Do
you have proof of that?

I see. I'm a bad person for posting with a false name, eh Persperation?

Abuse report sent to (e-mail address removed).

I'm sure I'll be hearing from them then. And I'll explain that they
shouldn't get so worked-up and should consider the source, just as they
should with any other chain letter or some update email that tells them to
delete important files.

Perhaps we should make some abuse reports when you decide to go off on one
of your friendly little tirades, too? Which I'll bet I can find several
just in today's fare.

--
Perdita X. Dream

Please help us to help you
http://groups.google.com
http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
Please note that the
reply address is fake. Keep all posts to the groups as private requests
for assistance (i.e. email/IM) cannot be acknowledged. Thank you.

--
Persistent Itch Twit

Please help us to help ourselves.
Go look for help somewhere else. We aren't equipped.
Please note that the reply address is fake,
as is my feigned intellect and humanity.
Keep all posts to yourself as private and public
requests for assistance (especially public ones)
will be ignored for the express purpose of the
furtherance of my telling you off, and my penchant
for gibbering on wildly about nothing. Thank you.

 

[Perdita X. Nitt]

Greetings --

Correct on all counts but one. As I posted it on a public
"forum," without first bothering to secure a copyright, it's doesn't
really "belong" to me anymore, either.

Bruce Chambers




Snipped...

No, true, but you were the author and I always give credit where credit's
due...;o) But I shall take that as a 'don't mind' then shall I?

 

[Persistent Itch Snot]

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

I happen to have that copyrighted. Stop cutting and pasting my content!

--
Persistent Itch Twit

Please help us.
http://perdita.wasarrested.com/ps/F
Go look for help somewhere else.
Please note that the reply address is fake,
as is my feigned intellect and humanity.
Keep all posts to yourself as private and public
requests for assistance will be ignored for the
express purpose of the furtherance of my telling
you off, and my penchant for gibbering on wildly
about nothing. Thank you.