Popup Warning

[Freida]

I was working on-line and received a pop-up which
indicated that my computer had a port that was leaking my
IP address and my computer was at risk of letting
invaders access my personal information. The pop-up
advised that I contact www.BYEBYEADS. I was reluctant to
contact them inasmuch as I had never heard of the site
and thought it might be a scam of some kind. Can someone
give me some insight, please.
Thank you

[NT Canuck]

"Freida" > wrote in message ...

> I was working on-line and received a pop-up which
> indicated that my computer had a port that was leaking my
> IP address and my computer was at risk of letting
> invaders access my personal information. The pop-up
> advised that I contact www.BYEBYEADS. I was reluctant to
> contact them inasmuch as I had never heard of the site
> and thought it might be a scam of some kind. Can someone
> give me some insight, please.

Hi Freida,

When you connect (your browser) to a remote web site/server
that server needs your IP (typically port 80) to send you the
information to display that web site's contents on your machine,
so in a sense you are letting info out...but only to connected
remote server...it is not a leak in that sense.

However...
the pop-up/unders are a way to sneak in adverisements
to the unsuspecting and new folks on the Internet...that is
just a 1% (maybe) factual and 99% "come buy something"
type of "social engineering" aimed at casual browsers.

use a pop-up blocker (free)
http://www.panicware.com/product_psfree.html

This is my personal choice on all my units to block ads/popups.
(inexpensive payware, 30 day trial)
http://www.adpurger.com/

make sure you have some anti-virus/anti-trojan software
installed on each unit...both email and some websites
can contain scripts to exploit or impair your computer.
(avg6.0 will auto-update it's files and is free, supply email addy)
http://www.grisoft.com

Then if you're up to it or don't have a software firewall
to show and block in/out Internet traffic.
(free for personal use)
http://www.kerio.com/kpf_home.html

Then test your personal (software) firewall at grc.com,
there is a wonderful improvement to their online
port tester (with added info as you go along).
http://nanoprobe.grc.com/

Above should keep you informed and "relatively safe" online.

'Seek and ye shall find'
NT Canuck
http://ntcanuck.com