Why am I still getting these?

[Crusty \(-: Old B@stard :-\)]

Not all firewalls come pre-configured to stop them. My ZoneAlarm Pro does! I
have never seen one of these items, and I have done nothing to prevent them,
other than install ZA Pro.

 

[Jason]

Hi everyone,

Once or twice a day I get a "Messenger Service" pop up advertisement appear
on my screen. I can live with one or two a day, but I'm concerned that
there might be a whole in my security system somewhere. Every article I've
read on these pop-ups says the solution is to activate a firewall. I have
cable connection to the internet and both Norton antivirus and Firewall
activated and always up to date. I've run tests on my firewall and it tells
me that everything is blocked and my system is safe, however these continue
to pop up.

Have you specifically blocked the ports that the messenger service uses?
Just running a firewall isn't enough, you have to tell it what to do
also.

Jason

 

[Paul]

Hi everyone,

Once or twice a day I get a "Messenger Service" pop up advertisement appear
on my screen. I can live with one or two a day, but I'm concerned that
there might be a whole in my security system somewhere. Every article I've
read on these pop-ups says the solution is to activate a firewall. I have
cable connection to the internet and both Norton antivirus and Firewall
activated and always up to date. I've run tests on my firewall and it tells
me that everything is blocked and my system is safe, however these continue
to pop up.

 

[Willit]

If They say "Messenger Service" in the top frame. There
are Several ways to do it.

Disable Method: Start > Run > Type "services.msc" >ok ,
on the services and applications find "Messenger" and
right click on it and choose properties choose "Disable"
in the middle Apply > ok.

or

Start Method : goto Start > Run > Type "msconfig" on the
Start Config. Menu go to Services Tab , go down the list
to "Messenger" uncheck, apply> ok re-boot. you will get a
warning when you re-boot >ok Done.

or

If you don't want it or need it or the Alerter Service
Delete it. Most don't, unless you are on a network, other
than your own. The Alerter Service is used on a network to
send virus alerts. You have to be on a network before
either have any use.

To Delete the Messenger Service:

Go to Start/Run/CMD and type in: sc delete messenger.
Reboot.

or

Or go to Start/Run/Regedit and go to this key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\
Messengerservice Delete Key. You can export it in case you
want it again,
then delete. Reboot

 

[Dan]

Hi, to disable messenger service in your system, goto
Control Panel > Administrative tools > Services, scroll
down until you see Messenger, then right click on it, goto
properties. Where it says startup type, select disabled,
click apply, then ok and close the window. Reboot your
system and you should be ready to go.

 

[mike]

Sounds like you may have spyware running on your
computer. Try downloading and running Ad-Aware 6.0 and
see what it finds. It's a simple and effective program
for identifying and removing perky spyware.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Use the firewall to ensure UDP ports 135, 137, and 138 and TCP
ports 135, 139, and 445 are _all_ blocked. You may also disable
Inbound NetBIOS (NetBIOS over TCP/IP). You'll have to follow the
instructions from firewall's manufacturer for the specific steps.


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

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Please stop deliberately posting potentially harmful advice.

Disabling the messenger service is a "head in the sand" approach
to computer security that 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 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."

The only true way to secure the PC, short of disconnecting it from
the Internet, is to install and *properly* configure a firewall; just
installing one and letting it's default settings handle things is no
good. Unfortunately, this does require one to learn a little bit more
about using a computer than used to be necessary.


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