"Windows Security Alert" ad tactic

  • Thread starter Thread starter patricia59
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patricia59

I am trying to disable pop up ads that exploit
the "windows security alert" message. I have 2 other
machines on Win98 and they don't get these annoying ads,
only the XP machine.

I read on another news site that these are a scam that
attempts to sell the user a program to stop what they
themselves are causing, and someone on the site suggested
disabled ActiveX controls. Did so, and this has reduced
them but some of them still cause an error message that
interupts my system when an ActiveX control attempts to
load unsuccessfully, and this still to lets them get away
with causing an interruption to my system.

I have a 'pop up blocker' software that stops other types
of ads but not this one. Isn't there some way to
outsmart these creeps?
 
Sounds like you are not using a firewall or have a misconfigured one. Go to
http://scan.sygatetech.com/ and see if alarms and bells go off after doing a basic
scan, particularly for ports 135,137,138,139,445 tcp/udp. In XP you can enable the
built in ICF firewall if you are not sharing resources on those computers or they do
not log onto a domain controller, but you still need to protect all your machines.
The Google toolbar with built in pop up stopper is the greatest thing since sliced
bread as far as pop stoppers go also. --- Steve

http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/
http://toolbar.google.com/
 
Greetings --

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

This type of spam has become quite common over the past year, 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 are
open to other threats, such as the Blaster and Welchia worms that
recently swept cross the Internet. 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

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