Pop ups

[dave Mitchell]

Hi everyone,
I have just upgraded my 2nd PC to XP Home from Win 98 so
that I can network it with my new HP PC that came with XP
Home already loaded. Since upgrading, and setting up a
user for my wife and both children, they keep getting pop
up ads coming up addressed to Computer User saying to
click a link to stop pop ups. I presume they are coming
via Windows Messenger. Is there any way to stop them? I
don't get them on the HP, I presume that it's because I
have Norton Internet Security running
Any ideas, anyone?
Thanks
Dave

[Nicholas]

A New Window Appears When You Visit Some Web Sites
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=3Dkb;[LN];Q308446=20

Messenger Service Window That Contains an Internet Advertisement Appears
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=3Dkb;en-us;330904&sd=3Dtec=
h

Free Popup Blockers
http://www.webattack.com/Freeware/misctools/fwpopblock.shtml

Essential Security Tools for Home Office Users
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=3D/technet/colu=
mns/security/5min/5min-105.asp=20

If you wish to solve your pop-up problems once and for
all, consider purchasing and installing a third-party program
designed to do just that:

Norton Internet Security 2003
http://www.symantec.com/sabu/nis/nis_pe/

-- Includes Norton AntiVirus 2003
-- Includes Norton Personal Firewall
-- Includes prevention of annoying web pop-ups
-- Includes Parental Controls
-- All in one, easy-to-install package


--=20
Nicholas

-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
----------

"dave Mitchell" > wrote in message:
...

| Hi everyone,
| I have just upgraded my 2nd PC to XP Home from Win 98 so=20
| that I can network it with my new HP PC that came with XP=20
| Home already loaded. Since upgrading, and setting up a=20
| user for my wife and both children, they keep getting pop=20
| up ads coming up addressed to Computer User saying to=20
| click a link to stop pop ups. I presume they are coming=20
| via Windows Messenger. Is there any way to stop them? I=20
| don't get them on the HP, I presume that it's because I=20
| have Norton Internet Security running
| Any ideas, anyone?
| Thanks
| Dave

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

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.


Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH


"dave Mitchell" > wrote in message
...
> Hi everyone,
> I have just upgraded my 2nd PC to XP Home from Win 98 so
> that I can network it with my new HP PC that came with XP
> Home already loaded. Since upgrading, and setting up a
> user for my wife and both children, they keep getting pop
> up ads coming up addressed to Computer User saying to
> click a link to stop pop ups. I presume they are coming
> via Windows Messenger. Is there any way to stop them? I
> don't get them on the HP, I presume that it's because I
> have Norton Internet Security running
> Any ideas, anyone?
> Thanks
> Dave

[Bob S.]

Bruce,

Thanks for the excellent explanation and host file. Just installed the file
and tested - works as advertised and worth every penny I paid.....

Thank you,

Bob S.

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

You're welcome.

Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH


"Bob S." > wrote in message
...
> Bruce,
>
> Thanks for the excellent explanation and host file. Just installed
the file
> and tested - works as advertised and worth every penny I paid.....
>
> Thank you,
>
> Bob S.
>
>